A Brief History of
The Old Rectory, Hawarden
by E. Newman
PH/28(J)/29
Hawarden Church and Rectory,
c.1900
A Brief History of
The Old Rectory, Hawarden
Flintshire Record Office has been housed in The Old Rectory, Hawarden, for
over 50 years. Staff are often asked about the history of the building, and this
short history of the Rectory has now been compiled for interested readers.
Whilst it does not claim to be comprehensive, it aims to offer an insight into
some of the people who have lived in the Rectory since the 18th-century and
the various uses the building has been put to over time. It also highlights
some of the original records which the Record Office holds relating to the
building and its inhabitants, which may be of interest to those wishing to do
further research.
When visiting the Record Office for the first time, people often remark that it is
‘like walking into an old house’, and indeed the Old Rectory was lived in by
the rectors of Hawarden and their families until 1925. It has served as a family
home and witnessed the happy moments, as well as the trials and tribulations,
of its inhabitants for at least 200 years. The current building is classed as
being of special architectural and historic interest, and probably dates from
the 18th-century. The centre of the east front, with its bay windows overlooking
the gardens, is thought to be the earliest part of the existing building. The
Rectory was first given a Grade II listing by CADW (The Welsh Historic
Monuments Executive Agency) in 1962. According to their report, a Rectory
on the site is first mentioned in 1663, and is described as: ‘3 bays of new
buildings and one of old half-timbered building.’ 1
The earliest recorded rector of Hawarden was William de Montalt, who was
admitted to the living in 1180. A full list of the rectors from 1180 to the present
day can be found carved in stone inside the church of St Deiniol, Hawarden.
However, this history will concentrate on those who are most likely to have
lived in the Rectory itself in its current location, beginning with the 18th-century
rectors.
The 18th Century
John Fletcher, Rector of Hawarden, 1728-1741
John Fletcher was the rector of Hawarden from 1728. He repaired the Rectory
house and added new pipes in 1732.2 As part of the collection of Hawarden
Parish Records, the Record Office holds ‘An Inventory of the late Rev[eren]d
Fletchers Goods &c taken & Appraised by Ralph Bingley Sworn Appraiser’ in
1741.3 This was taken after Rector Fletcher’s death, and tells us a great deal
about the Rectory building and the layout of the rooms and outbuildings at this
time.
1
C.A.D.W. Welsh Historic Monuments Report: Hawarden, Alyn & Deeside District (part).
Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 1994. p.54.
2
Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol.1. 1943. p.18.
3
Flintshire Record Office. Ref: P/28/1/41.
2
The rooms in the Rectory are listed
as follows:
The following outbuildings and
areas are also listed:
The Yellow Garrett
The Middle Garrett
The Red Room
The Little Blue Room
Dining Room
The Passage
The Nursery
The Housekeeper’s Closett
The Men’s Garret
The Right Hand Garret
The Store Room
The Kitchen
Servants’ Hall and Jack Hole
Pantry
The Butler’s Press and Passage to
the Hall
The Hall
The Parlour
The Cellar
The Brewhouse
The Laundry
The Backyard
The Granary
The Stable
The Garden
The Hogyard
The Barn
The Barnyard
The Bottle Rack Yard
Extract from the Inventory of
Rector Fletcher’s Possessions,
1741
(P/28/1/41)
Reverend Fletcher’s possessions were valued at a total of £190-1s-4d. The
dung in his barn yard was valued at £2-10s!
3
Richard Williams, Rector of Hawarden, 1741-1770
Richard Williams was rector after the death of John Fletcher, from 1741. He
was married twice, firstly to ‘Hany’, daughter of Sir Thomas Longueville, and
secondly to Margaret, daughter of Reverend Samuel Davies, rector of
Tattenhall in Cheshire.4 During his incumbency at Hawarden, rector Williams
made significant changes to the Rectory. He added the bow windows on the
east garden side, and built a new kitchen. He also opened a new private
doorway near the Rectory porch which communicated with the churchyard. 5
Rector Williams died in 1770 and is buried in the chancel of St Deiniol’s
church with his two wives.6
The Rector’s Apprentice
In 1742, Richard Williams took Robert Preece, ‘a poor Child of the said
Parish’, to be his apprentice. It is likely that Robert would have lived at the
Rectory with the rector and his family. His Apprenticeship Indenture tells us
that Robert was bound as an apprentice to the rector until he reached the age
of 24 years.7 He was to be trained in the ‘Business & Employment of a
Servant & Husbandman’. Once he had completed his apprenticeship, the
rector was obliged to provide him with ‘double Apparel of all Sorts, good and
new (that is to say) a good new Suit for the Holy-Days, and another for the
Working-Days’.
Apprenticeship Indenture of Robert Preece, 1743 (Ref: D/BJ/J36)
Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p.65.
Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p.18
6
Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p. 65
7
Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/BJ/J36.
4
5
4
Violent assault outside the Rectory
The records of Hawarden Church Court document a violent attack on the
vestry clerk of Hawarden Parish, during the time of rector Williams’
incumbency.8 The Rectory building provided the backdrop for a violent
disturbance between parishioners. On 30th January 1746, Edward Thomas,
vestry clerk, was on his way to Hawarden Rectory to meet with the rector, Mr
Williams, to ‘Consult ab[ou]t Parish Affairs’. He was on horseback, and
stopped to speak to two passers-by ‘in the open Street, near to the s[ai]d
Rector’s house’. Thomas Fisher of Hawarden, previously parish clerk, had
been suspended from his office the previous week due to complaints by the
parishioners. He appeared ‘hastily out of the house of one Thomas Fox, a
Victualler, opposite the place where we were conversing’ and began an
argument with Edward Thomas about a charity fund.
Fisher advanced on Thomas, who was on horseback, and ‘told me I was a
Villain and a Rascall, and at the same time uttered a great deal of Scandalous
reproachfull & undecent Language, and threatned me to a great Degree.’
Thomas tried to reason with Fisher and asked him to go home and calm
down, but ‘he suddenly snatch’d my stick out of my hand, w[hi]ch had a large
Knobb at one End, and therewith, & without the least provocation……he the
s[ai]d Fisher gave me such a violent Stroke or blow on the right side of my
head, & that seemingly with all his Strength & might, w[hi]ch Stunned me to
that Degree, that it was with the greatest Difficulty I sat on horseback.’
The attack led to a ‘great effusion of blood’ and Edward Thomas claimed that
afterwards, he was often seized with dizziness or giddiness which caused him
to have two very dangerous falls; and his memory and constitution were very
much impaired.
This unusual contemporary account of events in 18th-century Hawarden
demonstrates that life in the village 250 years ago was not always as peaceful
and tranquil as might be imagined.
8
Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/CL/70.
5
Stephen Glynne, Rector of Hawarden, 1770-1780
Stephen Glynne was rector of Hawarden between 1770-1780, and made
changes, both to the interior of the Rectory, and particularly to the gardens.
He built a dining room about 1774 to a design by Mr Booth Grey. He also
employed William Emes to work on the Rectory grounds. Emes designed and
worked on gardens at Eaton Hall, Cheshire, and at Chirk Castle and Erddig in
Denbighshire. He was a very famous landscape designer of the period, whose
style was similar to those of ‘Capability’ Brown and Humphrey Repton.9 He
worked on the four acres of Rectory grounds and planted several rare trees. 10
Rector Glynne paid Mr Emes £97-2s-8d to landscape the grounds, which was
quite a considerable sum at that time.11
Reverend Stephen Glynne (P/28(K)/57).
Photographer: Bell Jones, from original portrait.
9
Goodway, Keith. ‘Emes, William (1729/30–1803)’. Oxford Dictionary of National
Biography. Online. www.oxforddnb.com
10
Veysey, G.A. Mr Gladstone and Hawarden. Clwyd County Council. 1982. p.16.
11
Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p.19.
6
According to a 19th-century source, Glynne ‘also contemplated further
additions to the mansion, but the death of his eldest Brother in 1774 materially
altered his views & three years later he succeeded his Father in his title &
estates, & took possession of Hawarden Castle.’ The Rectory was then rented
to a widow, Mrs Lloyd, who lived there for the remainder of rector Glynne’s
incumbency, whilst he enjoyed the more luxurious surroundings of Hawarden
Castle. 12
The Rectory Gardens in the 18th-century
This watercolour illustration of the Church and Rectory in the 18th-century
(possibly before the re-styling by William Emes) shows a smaller Rectory
house than that which is in existence today, but with a far larger amount of
land attached to it. The gardens are formal and terraced, with parterre and
topiary style planting. The formal style of gardening was going out of fashion
in the mid-18th-century, when sweeping parkland and landscapes in the style
of ‘Capability’ Brown were becoming much more sought-after.
Watercolour of Hawarden Rectory and Gardens by Thomas Boydell, 1756.
(PR/F/123)
12
Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/BJ/445.
7
Randolph Crewe, Rector of Hawarden, 1780-1813
Randolph Crewe was the son of the Reverend Randolph Crewe and his wife
Anne, daughter of Bagot Read Esq. of Montgomery. Educated at Shrewsbury
and later Trinity College, Oxford, he married Frances, daughter of Sir John
Glynne of Hawarden.13 They had 7 children baptised at St Deiniol’s church,
Hawarden between 1782 and 1792.
Reverend Randolph Crewe was admitted to the living of Hawarden on 22nd
May 1780. His admittance certificate is held at Flintshire Record Office.14 This
tells us that the churchwarden at the time was Joseph Rigby, Hugh Jones was
curate, and Thomas Sharp was vestry clerk.
Randolph Crewe did not make many recorded alterations to the interior of the
Rectory, but he did try to solve the problem of having no water supply.
According to a 19th-century source: ‘He commenced a well near the present
Entrance, but the shaft being too much contracted, the work was never
completed. It is a curious circumstance that altho[ugh] the site of the Rectory
house had been the same for ages, there was no water whatever on the spot
until the year 1814, when a well was sunk adjoining the offices: it is 81 feet
deep, the water is particularly clear & good & the supply has never failed.‘ 15
13
Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p.66.
Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/DM/1167/2.
15
Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/BJ/445.
14
8