History of the Village

Glyn Ceiriog is formerly a mining community, home to Chwarel Wynne along with Chwarel Uchaf, and Ty Draw Quarries primarily within the Village boundaries.

Glyn Ceiriog being a mining community can be found as far back as 1329 with references to the slates being used for many out buildings on the grounds of Chirk Castle.

Glyn Ceiriog’s mining continued on a small scale providing the valley with slates all the way up until the slating boom of 1850, of which lead to the need for a railway to be built, thus linking the valley with the outside world via Chick and the Llangollen Canal.

Upon completion in 1873, the primary use of the tramway was a means of transporting the slates from Glyn Ceiriog and granite from Hendre Quarry in Pandy to Chirk.

Although the line ran from Glyn Ceiriog to Chirk, it was not the best way of travel, with the tramway being powered by gravity and horse power, the ride was at somewhat quite time consuming.

The Glyn Valley Tramway ran from Chirk, along the side of the road all the way up to Glyn Ceiriog, where it terminated outside the “New Inn” Now known as The Glyn Valley Hotel.

Operated from 1873 till 1881 by Shropshire Union Canal, the tramway was now in the hands of The Glyn Valley Tramway Company, of which the company decided that a much better and easier way of transportation was needed, so in 1887, the Tramway over went a conversion to steam power.

Once the Tramway had been converted to steam, the line could carry passengers.

Now the valley was connected, passengers could reach the valley, by utilising the Great Western Railway to get to Chirk and then stepping on the Tramway, visitors had a means of getting to the valley effortlessly.

With new owners to the Quarrying industry within the village, they also implemented the Glyn Electric Light & Water Supply Co. in 1904, supplying the village from Wynne Quarry.

Unfortunately the journey of the Glyn Valley Tramway was to be a short one at that, with the closure of the Quarries in 1933, the line’s last tram made it's final voyage in 1935.

With the closure of the Quarries, Glyn Ceiriog became the quiet village that it is to be known now, also with the introduction of National Power and Water, the Glyn Electric Light & Water Supply Co. became a distant memory and service for those who lived in the village.