Gladstone’s Library
Hard not to like The border town of Hawarden, nestled between England and Wales, has been a popular spot for generations and regularly turns up in ‘top ten places to live’ lists
DID YOU KNOW? Gladstone had 32,000 books in his library – and catalogued them all! Time your visit for one of the castle’s open days
T
he small but perfectly formed Deeside village of Hawarden has drawn residents from far and wide for centuries – including some celebrity names over the years. It is officially in Flintshire, so Welsh at heart, but boasts a Cheshire CH postcode as it is so close to the border. Wherever its roots lie it has a proud past, with a fine castle and bridges over its river boundaries, and a scenic woodland setting. Home to an estimated population of 20,000 including outlying rural areas, it is within easy distance of the beautiful Welsh countryside as well as the industrial hub of Queensferry and the motorway network beyond. With all these plus points it is no surprise that Hawarden routinely crops up in the listings of ‘best places to live’.
Wars and peace
The name Hawarden stems from the old English words for ‘high’ and ‘enclosure’, and in Welsh the village is called Penarlag, which again refers to the high ground upon which it sits. To this day, there is evidence of ancient hill forts here, and the stunning 36 SHIRE MAGAZINE | May/June 2022
structure that is Hawarden Castle looks proudly down on the residents from alongside the remains of Trueman’s Hill motte – believed to date back to ancient Britain when the locals were defending themselves against the neighbouring Cornavii tribe. The castle has seen action between Romans, Saxons and Normans, watched Henry II advance into Flintshire from Chester and helped Owain Gwynedd repel his advances. A period of peace followed, but was soon disturbed by disputes between the de Montfords and Henry III, and again by the skirmishes of Llewelyn and Edward I. Having being captured and recaptured so many times the castle soon became a soughtafter prize, and in the 19th century was home to prime minister William Gladstone. His family still owns the estate and although the castle is only open occasionally, there are activities on offer year-round.
Politics and premiership
Gladstone spent his later years enjoying the delights of Hawarden and on his death he bequeathed his substantial library, St Deiniol’s, to the people. Re-opened in 2010 as Gladstone’s Library it is the only residential library in Britain, and literature lovers from all over the world visit to soak up the history and marvel at the architecture as well as the impressive book collection. As well as politicians, the village has also
produced some top-rank football players. Former Welsh manager Gary Speed and England international Michael Owen spent time at Hawarden High School. In fact, once he was successful, Owen bought an entire street in nearby Ewloe for his family. Hawarden boasts its own airport (also known as Broughton Airport), which has doubtless made life easier for visiting celebs with helicopters. It’s also a convenient base for Airbus, which manufactures aircraft parts locally. With a pretty centre adorned with quaint pubs and a central fountain, Hawarden is still a rural life goal for many and scores highly with both residents and visitors.
Buy honey from Hawarden Estate Farm Shop THINGS TO SEE AND DO Hawarden Castle open four times a year or by appointment. Visit hawardenestate.co.uk Hawarden Estate Farm Shop Chester Road (B5125), CH5 3FB Gladstone’s Library Church Lane, Hawarden CH5 3DF
