Having completed this 8 cache trail (just under 2 miles), you are entitled to our super historic badge (with thanks to HarveyJJ for producing this for us) depicting the new and old castles in the Hawarden Park (behind the red gate in centre of village).
Hawarden was originally a Saxon settlement, referred to in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Haordine (high enclosure). In the 18th and 19th centuries the production of coal, iron and bricks flourished, and where its famous children Emma Hamilton and John Boydell, Lord Mayor of London spent their early years. Hawarden boasts 2 castles – the ruined 13th century castle used by Edward I as a base for his invasion of Wales. In 1282 it was captured by Dafydd, brother of the Welsh prince, Llewellyn app Gruffydd and in 17th century it was severely damaged in the Civil War. The new castle was William Ewart Gladstone’s home after his marriage to Catherine Glynne, heiress to the Hawarden estate.
The 4 detached houses you can see are on the site of the original Canon Drew school, before it was demolished and then rebuilt in Cross Trees Lane with the new name of Rector Drew school. Frank Selwyn Macauley Bennett, Rector of Hawarden, 1910-1920 continued Canon Drew’s scheme of improvement of schools in the parish, and completed the new boys’ and girls’ school in Hawarden which was named as a memorial to him.
Please take a pen with you and also replace cache exactly as found.
If you would like to learn more about the history of Hawarden there is a "Hawarden Village Trails" booklet available from the Post Office near the Monument.
