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Overton, Flintshire

Historical Description

Overton, a village and a parish in Flintshire. The village stands on an eminence adjacent to the river Dee, 2 miles N of the boundary with Salop, and 4½ NNW of Ellesmere; was known at Domesday as Oureton; is a seat of petty sessions; unites with Flint, Holywell, Mold, Caerwys, Caergwrle, Rhuddlan, and St Asaph, in sending a member to Parliament; is, as a borough, conterminate with the parish; enjoys delightful environs, with most lovely views of the Dee; was once a market-town; and has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Ruabon. The parish consists of the townships of Knolton, The Villa, and Foreign. Acreage, 4577; population, 1136. There is a parish council consisting of eleven members. The manor belonged anciently to Robert Fitzhugh, and passed to Robert de Crevecoeur, the Stranges, and others. A castle was built here by Madoc ab Meredydd, prince of Powis, and has left some traces. Knolton Hall, Gwernhaelod, and Bryn-y-Pys are chief residences. A barrow and an ancient camp are in Gwernhaelod Park. The Duke of Wellington spent considerable portions of his boyhood at Bryn-y-Pys. The living is a rectory in the diocese of St Asaph; net value, £252 with residence. Patron, the Duke of Westminster. The church is cruciform and good. The churchyard contains some old yews.

Transcribed from The Comprehensive Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1894-5

Administration

The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.

Registration districtEllesmere1837 - 1935
Registration districtOverton1935 - 1953
Registration districtMaelor1954 - 1974

Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.


Civil Registration

For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.

For births, marriages, and deaths in Overton from 1837 to 1935 you should search for the Ellesmere Registration District.
For births, marriages, and deaths in Overton from 1935 to 1953 you should search for the Overton Registration District.
For births, marriages, and deaths in Overton from 1954 to 1974 you should search for the Maelor Registration District.


Land and Property

The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Flintshire is available to browse.


Newspapers and Periodicals

The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers online: