Health & Safety was obviously far removed from people’s minds at this time. In 1767 Edward Edwards, described as a ‘yeoman of Mold’ dumped ‘Six Carts load of Dirt and other Filth… in the Common Highway’ called Ffordd Glai ( now Clayton Road ), leading from the Dolphin to Gwernymynydd.                        Flintshire Record Offce, QS/SR/70/15.

Following a fracas between Llannefydd man Isaac Dale and Edward Hughes of Mold in 1770, Dale was further charged with having infringed the law regarding the width of the wheels of his cart. Five horses drew his four-wheeled carriage loaded with coal only. The word only was stressed upon and the fact that the wheels’ fellies (rims?) were ‘of less breadth than nine inches,’ which was contrary to the statute.
                                                 Flintshire Record Offce, QS/SW78/25.

Did people over two hundred years ago realise Mold’s potential as a health resort? If they had read this they might have moved here to live!
‘From 9 Jan — 15 Feb 1786 there were 10 persons buried respectively whose ages added together amounted to 755 being 75½ years each upon an average.’ National Library of Wales MS. 1755A.

Hugh Lloyd, Vicar of Mold, Nercwys, Treuddyn and Llangynhafal reported to his Bishop in 1738 that he annually spent eight months in Mold and four at his Denbighshire benefice of Llangynhafal. Assisting him for the past eight years had been a duly qualified curate named William Rodgers A.B. whom he paid annually £20. He described his parish of Mold without an alms-house, hospital or school. No mention of Bedlam.

There were about 500 families within the parish i.e. approximately 2,200 people, of which he described ‘2 Popish, 1 Presbytarian,’ emphasising that even they were ‘Conformists’ because they had their children baptised in church.                          National Library of Wales, SA/QA/18.

On 19 February 1719/20 a Faculty was awarded to Richard Mostyn of Penbedw to erect a seat or pew or a common seat near the third pillar in the south side of the north aisle in St Mary’s Church, Mold to be held by him as owner of a house in Gwysaney township…. in lieu of a seat held by him in the north side of the middle aisle, joining the pulpit, which was required for the erection of a reading desk.

National Library Wales, Peniarth Estate Papers DF438.

In late 1785 the Pentre Bridge at Rhyd Alun was in a dilapidated state and Hawarden architect Joseph Turner was brought in to advice on repair work. On 27 April 1786 he surprised everyone by proposing that the best option would be to build a completely new one, ‘which shall consist of two Arches of thirty three feet each and Eighteen feet within the Battlements at and for the Sum of two hundred Pounds.’ His proposal was approved and it’s still there!

M Bevan-Evans, Flintshire : A Hand List of the County Court Records ( 1955 ), 22.

The Oxford English Dictionary gives one explanation of the word badger as ‘hawker, especially of provisions.’ It is therefore not surprising to discover the term being used to describe a Rhydymwyn grain dealer in 1767, one Josiah Fern. The court had granted him licence to ‘common Badger, Lader, Camer and Buyer of Corn and Grain for the space on one whole year now next ensuing.’ Badgers were not popular amongst the masses, especially during years of dearth, as they had a tendency to hoard grain
and sell it at prices well beyond the reach of the common folk, even exporting it to overseas enemies.
                        Flintshire Record Office, QS/ Minute Book, 1752-72,p.246.

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