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St Margaret’s Church

and

the community of Garden Village

An Overview

2013 is a year in which the residents of Garden Village celebrate the centenary of

Garden Village itself. It is also a year which Bishop Gregory of St Asaph has

proclaimed as a Year of Pilgrimage in the diocese , adding that “ the diocesan motto

reminds us that a pilgrimage is about more than a trip to see a special place. It is the

outward expression of an inward desire to travel with Jesus as his disciples. All

pilgrimages are journeys of faith, by which we seek to bring ourselves more closely

into configuration with Our Lord Jesus Christ. We make a physical journey to seek

out the God who reveals himself to us in our hearts.”

This brief history is an attempt to tell something of the story of the people of

Garden Village and especially the connections that the worshipping community of St

Margarets’ Church have made and continue to make with the wider community today.

It is fair to say that in one way or another members of the church have always been

involved with the community of Garden Village.

A short history of St Margaret’s church

The foundation stone for St Margaret’s church was laid in 1928, but the story must

begin in Rhosddu . As the population of Wrexham expanded in the nineteenth

century a new church building was provided in Rhosddu, and St James’s church

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was constructed . The Wrexham historian A H Dodd 1 comments- “ in 1886 the

northern part of the town and districts beyond it ( where a growing coal mining

population had settled) became the main portion of a new ecclesiastical parish-

Rhosddu, which embraces Rhosnessney, Acton, and the Garden Village ( all now

within the extended borough of Wrexham) in addition to fringe areas just beyond the

confines of the town. The new church was dedicated to St James, and in course of

time the Vicar was given charge of the outlying churches of St Peter’s( Rhosrobin),

St Margaret’s ( Garden Village) and Rhosnessney”.

The Wrexham parish website 2draws on a short history of St Margaret’s published

by Paul Whitaker . Paul belongs to the much malaigned but essential profession, the

Law; he is a former organist and choirmaster at St Margaret’s and who is a member

of the Crown Prosecution Service. He led the popular St Margaret’s Singers for many

years after 1979.

Paul’s short history of St Margaret’s was updated by Jean Morris in 2008 as the

church community celebrated its 80th anniversary . Jean , a nurse, has worshipped

in our church for many years and copies of conveyances of her home in Chester Road

confirm part of the history of the village as set out below.

The Wrexham parish website explains the factual position of Garden Village at the

turn of the twentieth century- “ the traveller passing from Wrexham to Gresford left

the Municipal Borough just beyond the junction of Price’s lane and Rhosnesni Lane,

continuing through open country until the outskirts of Gresford were reached. The

1 A History of Wrexham 1957, page 1572

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enclosed fields of Croes Eneurys and Ty Gwyn farms lay to the left and once leafy

Acton rise had been gained a clear view of mountains to the west and north-west was

revealed.

Stone walls to the right, erected at the end of the 18th Century surrounded Acton Park

enclosing Acton Hall, seat of the Cunliffe family. Formerly home to the

Jeffreys family, it was the birthplace in 1647 of the unfortunately notorious Judge

Jeffreys who at the height of his career became Lord Chief Justice of England. The

house was demolished in 1956 leaving only the impressive entrance, surmounted by

four greyhounds (from the Cunliffe family crest) and three lodges still standing.

Nearby there stood a milkbar, Sam’s which is recalled by many locals , including

church members, as a place of refreshment where many friendships blossomed until

the closure of the Bar which was unable to comply with the modern planning regime.

At the end of the 19th century , Wrexham was a rapidly developing industrial town

experiencing acute housing problems. Much development had already occurred to the

west of the town resulting in closely packed terraced rows of colliers’ houses. This

was viewed, by some, as far from satisfactory and contrasted sharply with the Garden

Suburb developments already completed at Hampstead, Bournville and Port Sunlight.

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The Welsh Town Planning and Housing Trust

The poor state of housing in Wales had been observed by the MP David Davies (later

Lord Davies of Llandinam) who was instrumental in establishing the Welsh Town

Planning and Housing Trust Limited to develop building estates in Wales according to

the enlightened ideas of the Garden Suburbs.

In 1905 3 a new company, the United Westminster and Wrexham Colliery was

incorporated to mine coal as the North Wales coalfield expanded. The setting for this

new operation was Acton Grange .Sinking of the shafts was completed by 1911.

In 1913 the Wrexham Tenants Ltd. Was established and Edward Hubbard4 explains

that this was the first project taken over and sponsored by the Welsh Town Planning

and Housing Trust . The Trust

purchased 160 acres of land close to Acton Park from Sir Foster Cunliffe. This was

long before the advent of the modern town and country planning system after World

War II.5

”.The Architect G L Sutcliffe, experienced in several such schemes, was brought in to

plan the overall lay-out of the new Garden Village , which was to include tree-lined

avenues, open spaces, shops, churches, a school and an institute.

3 Gresford Anatomy of a Disaster, Stanely Williamson page 22 4 The Buildings of Wales Clwyd ( Denbighshire& Flintshire) page 312 5 Town and Country Planning Act 1947.

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Work commenced almost immediately with 44 properties completed within the first

year. The first houses, villas at numbers 63-69 Acton Gate, others in Chester Road

(numbers 149-167 and originally called Bryn Acton) and Cunliffe Walk were

designed by Sutcliffe himself, with the remaining 205 being designed by T

AlwynLloyd, Architect to the Trust

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The houses are of simple style; some being of rustic brick, others rendered. They vary

in character and accommodation to provide for a variety of needs and distinctly

resemble other similar developments. Hubbard adds6 that the earliest buildings are

in” the simple and informal vernacular style which characterizes so much of the best

housing of the first half of theC20 “.

Every effort was made to keep rents within reach of the people then described as the

working classes but without compromising the false economy of using poor materials

and faulty construction. The houses were fitted with excellent baths, gas cookers and

coppers, wood block floors and electric light to reflect the rise in the standard of

comfort required, and rents ranged from 5 to 8 shillings per week.

Great emphasis was placed upon the provision of quality, well-equipped housing in a

pleasant environment giving good gardens and open spaces. Grass margins were

provided to roads and there was extensive planting of trees.

6 The Buildings of Wales Clwyd ( Denbighshire& Flintshire) page 312

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The houses were to be let to tenants who were also investors in the Company thus

ensuring control of future development. This was a pioneering approach prior to the

days of Council housing.

At the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 many houses were occupied by the

Denbighshire Yeomanry, in training at Acton Hall. Sadly, no further development was

undertaken by Wrexham Tenants Limited following the war; so the shops, churches,

an institute and school were never built as planned. Plots were later sold off for

development along similar lines though the quality of the original work was never

again achieved.

In 1955, Wrexham Tenants Limited was wound up; tenants being invited to purchase

their properties at greatly reduced valuations. The smaller houses were sold for £250

and the larger ones for £450. This led to many houses being altered or extended thus

reducing further the impact of the original scheme.

The Village Amenities

Crucial to the plan for the Garden Village was the provision of open spaces; for

recreation, gardening, sports facilities (bowling green, tennis and cricket clubs), a

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children’s playground, shops to be built in the centre of the Estate, an institute and

churches to be built on the open ground facing Wats Dyke Way named in

commemoration of the ancient and nearby Wats’s Dyke.

A Village Council, elected annually, cared for the social and educational interests of

the villagers with the Institute, comprising a lecture hall, billiard room, reading room

and ladies’ club room forming the centre of the intellectual and social life of the

village during the winter months.

Although all have now been provided, the Institute in Kenyon Avenue was only

intended as a temporary structure and the Roman Catholic Church was never built.

Today only the bowling green remains of the original recreational facilities. The last

game of tennis was played in July 1990 and houses now occupy the sites of the

allotments and tennis courts. One member of the congregation Jim Upton was a

particularly and enthusiastic active member of the Tennis Club.

Free Church services had been held in a house in Ffordd Estyn (and later in the

Institute) prior to the building in 1927 of Bethel Chapel. It was built on land

originally intended for a quadrangle of houses similar to Cunliffe Walk, to be called

Foster Walk. The Institute was used for Sunday school classes in the 1930s.

Saint Margaret’s Church

In 1920 the Church in Wales was disestablished and disendowed by Acts of

Parliament .Not surprisingly perhaps the story of the newly formed church at that

time has been described as one of timidity and caution. 7Nonetheless the diocese of St

Asaph recognised the economic development in the area and the need to minister to

the newly growing and expanding population to the east of the borough and, as a

result , Mrs F W Morris laid the foundation stone at St Margaret’s Church on the 14th

March 1928. The church was built on land originally proposed as open space. It was 7 A History of the Church in Wales in the Twentieth Century Rev D T W Price page 18

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completed in nine months ready for dedication by the Archbishop of Wales on

Monday 17th December 1928 at a cost of £5,000.

The connection between Garden Village and Gresford is an important part of our

history. One of the oldest members of the church congregation , Peggy Roberts ,

recalls the sound of clogs as miners walked home along Chester Road after a night

shift. The Gresford mining disaster of 1934, when 256 men lost their lives, is

well known, of course, and one of the few memorial plaques in St Margaret’s

church records the death of ( include the details) .. in that disaster. Recently a plaque

was installed in St James’ Rhosddu in memory of Arthur Reginald Williams aged 28 ,

a chorister in that church who was also killed in the Gresford disaster.8

The histories of individual members of any church community are crucial to a true

understanding of the mission of the church and that is certainly the case in relation to

St Margaret’s Church.

Many members of the current congregation of St Margaret;’s have provided

information for this update. As a result, many photographs and other material have

been made available, including a personal history of Flying Officer Fred Keeler DFC

whose family lived in Garden Village and who continue to worship in St Margaret’s.

The DFC citation was published in the London Gazette on 20 April 1945. In 2001

Mark Challenor of the Wrexham Leader published a portrait of Fred, whom he

described as “ a PC with a remarkable family history “ , a history which. like many

in the area is intertwined with coal-mining but was truly exceptional in terms of his

outstandingly brave military serve, his service as a police officer in London, and

after 1960 as Area Welfare Officer.

8 Initally this plaque had been erected in .....

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In the 1960s the church had an active Mother’s Union with branches meeting

regularly in St Margaret’s and St James’s with close ties to St John’s in Rhosnessni

and St Peter’s in Rhosrobin. In addition a current member of the church

congregations , Mrs Pam Upton, recalls the setting up of a Mothers and Toddlers

Group involving members of the church.

In the 1980s a holiday club was organised with members of the Bethel Presbyterian

church. Gerald Griffiths was active at that time as superintendant. Later he was

ordained and served in the Wrexham Parish, particularly St Marks in Queen’s Park

9where one of his outstanding achievements was setting up a Credit Union to help

local residents.

The church has always prided itself on caring for children and helping them to

develop. The Sunday Club meets regularly and in the year 2000 they prepared a

Millenium Cross which details many features of the surrounding area.

The Church itself

T Alwyn Lloyd designed the Church for the Welsh Town Planning and Housing Trust

Limited in keeping with rest of the Garden Village development.

The Church is constructed of rustic brick, roofed with Cumberland slate and plastered

inside to keep the simple look of an early Christian church from the Mediterranean. It

is however incomplete, only the chancel and the transepts being to the original design.

Further work was done in 1976-1978 , at a cost of £15,000, by the addition of a

lounge or narthex separated from the church by opening screens.

This year the church has had further significant work done to complete the entrance

hall and to provide disabled access. 9 Later styled Caia Parc

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Unusually, the Altar is placed at the west end, high-lighted by a reredos curtain

bearing the cross within an oak surround. The wide chancel and low choir serve to

present the Altar as a dominant feature. Much oak is used in the furnishings; that of

the Altar, Pulpit and Choir originally being limed.

The transept arches reflect the Moorish influence in Early Christian architecture and

serve to uphold the timbers of the Columbian Pine roof. Four massive rafters support

the main roof reaching upwards and culminating in a spired flêche.

The church is most probably named after St Margaret of Scotland whose life is

celebrated on the 16th November. St Margaret was born and educated in Hungary in

the 11th Century and married to Malcolm III of Scotland. She was renowned for her

spirituality and care of the poor and was responsible for the building of many

churches, often at her own expense, and excercised a powerful influence on the

reform of religion from the Celtic to the Gregorian. She died in 1093 at the age of 43.

St Margaret’s Chapel stands on the highest point of Edinburgh Castle and is the home

of the Mothers’ Union of Scotland

An anonymous donor provided the side Chapel to the south of the Church. It was

dedicated on Wednesday the 2nd November 1960 by Dr Bartlett, Bishop of St Asaph.

In style, it echoes the appearance of the High Altar.

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A harmonium placed behind the choir sufficed until the present organ was installed at

the rear of the north transept in 1949. It was built in 1910 by Hopkins of York. By

1980 major renovations were necessary and the opportunity was taken to make

significant tonal improvements and move the instrument to its present position. This

work was completed in 1982 by Hawkins Organ Builders of Lichfield at a cost of

£15,500.

The crucifix above the pulpit was erected in memory of Mr Martin who was for many

years the Sunday School Superintendent.

Also situated about the Church are a number of memorials to former Parishioners.

These include various items of furniture, an Aumbrey and a Book of Remembrance.

It was The Rev G R Davies who did much to organise the building of St Margaret’s

Church for the parishioners of Garden Village who formerly had to attend the Parish

Church of St James in Rhosddu.

For many years after, it was in the care of a succession of Curates in Charge who

lived at 11 Kenyon Avenue. Best loved of these was Trevor Jones who remained for

the unusually long period of 9 years until 1952. Canon Lort, previous Vicar of Bagillt,

became Vicar during the war years before becoming Vicar of Gresford until his

retirement.

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It was, however, the Rev Monroe Williams who made the most dynamic changes; in

1969, following the sale of the large Victorian Vicarage in Rhosddu, he moved to the

present house in Acton Gate and St Margaret’s became the Parish Church. His son

Gareth has taught as a Sunday Club teacher for many years.

Further changes were in the air and by 1971, the old Parish of Rhosddu , formed in

1886, was amalgamated within the Rectorial Benefice of Wrexham. In 2002 the

Benefice became the Deanery of Wrexham and now comprises St Giles, All Saints, St

Margaret’s, St James’, St John’s, St Mark’s with St Mary’s Bersham and since 2006

Holy Trinity, Esclusham.

Music has always played an important part in worship; there being a fine robed choir

from early days. In 1958 the choir became affiliated to the Royal School of Church

Music.

Those traditions still continue today.

Music also played a part in the social life of the Church; during the 1950s Mrs Wynn

ran a Ladies Choir and in 1979 the St Margaret Singers was formed by Mr Paul

Whittaker, a former organist. It continues to flourish under the direction of the present

organist Mr David Evans with the help of accompanist Miss Jane Belton. In addition

to concerts of Sacred Music the St Margaret Singers have presented several stage

productions of Gilbert and Sullivan Operas. More recently an Italian Evening and an

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evening of Songs from the Shows were performed with enthusiastic audience

participation.

Organists

1928 Mr E J Stephens

1932 Mr Harold Williams

1933 Mr Albert Jones

1943 Mr J J Smith assisted by his son Mr N Smith

1950 Mr Maurice Wynn

1955 Mr Noel Smith

1957 Mr Harry Macklin

1960 Mr Eric Kilhan

1977 Mr Paul Whittaker assisted by Mr S Martin

1999 Mr David Evans assisted by Mrs Maureen Dodd

The Church Hall

In 1956 the spacious hall was built to a full specification including stage lighting and

dressing rooms. A substantial part of the cost of £13,000 was met by a bequest from

the Estate of Mrs F W Morris who had laid the foundation stone of St Margaret’s

Church in March 1928

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In April 2006 the hall reopened after extensive refurbishment funded by a grant of

£140,000 from the Welsh Assembly.

Further grants from WREN and the Welsh Assembly have enabled the purchase of

new curtains including stage curtains, banquet tables and chairs and a refurbished and

equipped kitchen.

Shortly after the building of the hall in 1956, it was used for a number of theatrical

productions. The hall was also used by the drama group established by Mr Alan

Thompson in the 1970s: a production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

being a particularly remembered feature of their activities.

For theatrical performances to be enjoyed once again new stage lighting must

installed.

The Farmer’s Market10

Figures collated by the Anglican Church show a decline in collective worship during

the C20th and in many villages this has coincided with the ebbing of community

spirit in many villages. Unsurprisingly the Chairman of the Countryside Alliance11

has suggested that churches could be given a new lease of life by being used

imaginatively by local communities.

10 Thiis section is based on an article which appeared in the diocesan magazine Teulu Asaph in December 2012 and thanks are extended to Phil Topham for permission to reproduce both the contents and photographs. 11 Daily Telegraph December 27,2012

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One wonders whether his role model is St Margaret’s Garden Village because French

classes, modern jive, street dance and now a Farmers’ Market in St Margaret’s

Church Hall is turning into a thriving business as local community groups rent it for

their meetings and events. With a sprung dance floor and a stage along with a kitchen

& toilet facilities, it’s a shining example of what can be achieved in our Churches and

Church Halls to provide a worthwhile community facility.

John Page is the man in charge of St Margaret’s Church Hall and manages the

bookings to make sure everything runs smoothly. One of his biggest events takes

place on the first Saturday of the month when the Hall is transformed into the vibrant

Garden Village Farmers’ Market.

It started with just six stalls in May 2011 but now there can be as many as twenty

selling fresh local produce, artisan breads and art & crafts.

“It’s been extremely well attended,” reflects John. “Normally we get 100 – 150

people and a lot of people now are ordering from one month to the other from the

meat stall so there is a lot of through-trade with it. Members of the committee will

organise refreshments so some will come and sit with refreshments and have a chit-

chat so it’s quite a social event.

“Apart from getting the community in, I think Church has grown a little bit and there

are some who possible come because they’ve been to the Farmers’ Market. For the

Community it means they realise the Church is there and it’s not just a building that

they passed in the past.”

The Church Hall is certainly bustling with activity on market day with dozens of

people visiting stalls up and down the room. Andy Williams is the local Councillor

for Garden Village and he initially approached St Margaret’s about hosting the

Farmers’ Market.

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He says it’s been a huge success.

“The meat comes from Overton, the bread is local, the veg comes from Summerhill so

everything is just picked or just baked,” Andy comments.

“I can see this growing into other areas and other villages having them eventually

because everyone loves food and healthy food and knowing where their food’s come

from. The less food miles your food has the better it is for you.”

Andy has a policy that only one type of stall can attend each Farmer’s Market so there

is no competition between two meat stalls or two veg stalls.

“We make sure all the food producers have food hygiene certificates,” he explains. “I

won’t have anyone here who’s just making something in their kitchen if they don’t

have a food hygiene certificate and insurance. Once I know they have all that and that

they’re high quality products that will sell, then they can come.

“It’s word of mouth – the stall holders will go to other markets and they will tell them

about this so I don’t have to do any chasing anymore – they all come to me now.”

The stall holders themselves seem to really like this arrangement too. Looking around

the room it’s clear that it works for them because their stocks quickly start to deplete.

Michelle is from Moira’s Market Garden and says the St Margaret’s Farmers’ Market

will always have a special place in her heart.

“This was our very first farmers’ market here so it’s quite sentimental to us and it’s

absolutely fantastic, the people here are wonderful,” she says.

“In the summertime when we’re outside it’s much, much busier because it pulls

people in off the street but we always get the locals and regulars coming in when it’s

indoors and they are very supportive. We now go to farmers’ markets in Chester, St

Asaph and Upton so there is quite a lot going on because of this – this one was our

inspiration.”

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But it’s not just businesses starting out on the farmers’ market circuit that enjoy

visiting St Margaret’s. Robert Didier is from Orchard Pigs bakery in Wrexham and

he takes his products to similar markets and festivals up and down the UK.

So how does St Margaret’s Church Hall compare to those?

“It’s fantastic, there are lots of local producers here to showcase and although it’s a

small market it’s very busy,” he enthuses.

“We do lots of farmers markets and food festivals up and down the country and as a

local market this is very good – it’s right on our doorstep so it’s a nice easy one with

lots of people that we know and the shoppers are very keen on knowing the origin of

the food.”

Obviously the food and crafts on sale at the market are seasonal. With the countdown

on to Christmas, a number of the stalls are selling Christmas crafts and products. In

November there was a special charity crocheted poppy on sale for Remembrance

Sunday.

Melissa from Made by Melissa was selling it with £1.50 from every sale going to the

poppy appeal.

“I’m on about my 100th now which is great but it’s a bit time consuming and the

demand has been quite difficult but I am still enjoying making them,” she says.

“I know I have raised £80 via Ebay and I have more in cash which is building nicely

for when I send a cheque off to the Royal British Legion. I haven’t told them how

much I have raised so far but I have told them I am making them and they have been

quite enthusiastic and encouraging.”

So what benefit can St Margaret’s Church take from this bustling Church Hall? Well,

John Page says the profits from the Hall directly benefit the Church – they’ve just

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made a donation to St Margaret’s re-ordering project. Once that work is completed,

John knows the Hall will be able to host even more events.

“When we have done the reorganising of the Church, we can switch some of the

meetings to the Church because the facilities will be better there than they are here,”

he says.

“For example Tracey White from the Diocese uses us quite a lot for Training

Together seminars but the facilities in the Church once it’s done will be far superior

than here so we will move things like that into the Church and that opens a space for

us to put on other things in the Hall.”

The vicar of St Margaret’s, the Revd Richard Hainsworth has only got positive things

to say about the work in the Hall – particularly the Farmers’ Market.

“We are delighted to host the Garden Village Farmers' Market and to support local

small businesses,” he says. “It is great to see the community come together every

month in the church grounds and hall and we have been very pleased by the

enthusiasm with which the market has been received by local people. 

“It has raised our profile in the community and helped us to grow both the church and

the use of the hall throughout the week.  We used to be known as 'the church opposite

the pub' but now people say ‘St Margaret's? Oh that's where the Farmers' Market is’.”

The schools in the village and links with the Church – to be completed

Croes Eneurys

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Placed in the stone wall circling Acton Park and alongside Chester Road, just south of

the Church and facing the entrance to Acton Gate is a large stone bearing the

engraving of a cross. This stone originally formed part of the base of an early

medieval cross which stood in fields now occupied by the Council developments of

Acton Park.

When it was decided to enclose the parkland in the 18th Century, the existing route of

Chester Road was diverted prior to the building of the present wall. At that time, the

base of that medieval cross and the only portion still remaining was moved to its

present position and placed in the wall. As it had formerly stood in land at one time in

the ownership of the Monks of Valle Crucis, the owner of the Estate at that time

caused a cross to be engraved upon it to indicate its former origins.

Prior to the building of the present houses nearby, it was customary for the Rogation

Sunday Service to be held in the field around a large oak tree situated alongside that

particular stone.

Photography in the slideshows on the website site and reproduced in this work were

kindly provided by Nick Roe (C) 2009..

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