52-425: The Clocaenog Forest is in west Denbighshire and east Conwy , Wales on Mynydd Hiraethog . It takes its name from the village of Clocaenog , near Ruthin . It is 40 square miles (100 km) in extent, mostly coniferous softwoods under the control of Natural Resources Wales . It was planted in 1905 on what was mostly moorland and many hill farms. It is a highland region, mostly above 350 metres. It experienced
104-506: A contraction of Yr Heol ("The Road"). However, this derivation is problematic as it is thought that no road of significance passed through the area before the name was already extant. Another suggested etymology is that the name is a hybrid of the unfamiliar English word "hill" and the Welsh definite article "yr" ( Yr Hill , becoming Y Rhyl , and then just Rhyl in English). Although this
156-493: A cost of £4.25 million and featured a heated swimming pool, water chutes and slides, and Europe's first indoor surfing pool. The local council closed the centre in early 2014 and it was demolished in 2016. A new Travelodge hotel was built next to the site, which opened in early 2019. A new indoor/outdoor water park, the SC2 , opened further along the promenade in 2019, and includes various pools with water chutes and slides, as well as
208-592: A separate "Ninja Tag" assault course game complex. Also on the East Parade is the New Pavilion Theatre, opened in 1991. It has over 1,000 seats and is managed by Denbighshire County Council. Redevelopment of the Pavilion theatre in 2017 provided for a new façade, entrance foyer and restaurant, and refurbished bar areas. The Marine Lake, an artificial excavation in the west of the town, used to be
260-512: A severe winter in 1946/47 with over 150 cm of lying snow on flat ground recorded at Clawdd-newydd (a nearby village), and there was another hard winter in 1962/63. It is also one of the last mainland strongholds of red squirrels in Wales. There are high points which rise above the tree level, affording views of Snowdonia and Arenig Fawr to the west, the Berwyn Range to the south,
312-399: A tourist destination, with fairground rides and a zoo. The lake is a 12-hectare human-made reservoir and it was officially opened in 1895. Rhyl Miniature Railway is the only original attraction remaining on the site, a narrow gauge railway that travels around the lake and is now based at the new museum and railway centre. There is also a playground and numerous watersports clubs based around
364-401: A tree in the forest and throwing away the key. He wasn't found until April 2005, when a woman and her dog found his skeleton. It was believed he struggled to break free after scuff marks on the tree were found. In 2015 the body of an unidentified murder victim was discovered in the forest by two brothers who were attending the 2015 Wales Rally GB. In 2005 a wind farm with 25 wind turbines
416-773: Is 9.3 °C (48.7 °F). Annual precipitation averages 794 mm (31.3 in). Rhyl railway station on the North Wales Coast Line is served by through trains of Avanti West Coast between Holyhead and London Euston , and by Transport for Wales Rail services: to Cardiff Central via Newport and Crewe , and to Manchester Piccadilly . Other stations nearby include Abergele & Pensarn , Prestatyn , Flint , Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Junction . The direct Transport for Wales and Avanti West Coast services to Holyhead give connections by Stena Line or Irish Ferries to Dublin Port . The A548 road through
468-498: Is also home to several medieval castles, including Castell Dinas Brân , Denbigh , and Rhuddlan , as well as St Asaph Cathedral . Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod takes place in the town each July. The main area was formed on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 , from various parts of the county of Clwyd . It includes the district of Rhuddlan (formed in 1974 entirely from Flintshire),
520-482: Is problematic as Rhyl is situated in a very flat area with no hills, it has been suggested that the original 'hill' was a piece of dry land relatively raised above the surrounding marshes (cors y rhyl). Another suggestion is that it could have referred to a now-forgotten man-made structure, such as a motte outpost of Rhuddlan Castle guarding the mouth of the River Clwyd. One etymology that gained popularity in
572-552: Is served by Transport for Wales and Avanti West Coast services. Trains leaving Crewe to pass through Chester, cross the River Dee into Wales, and continue through Flint , Shotton , Holywell Junction (closed in 1966), Prestatyn , Rhyl , and stations to Bangor and Holyhead, which has a ferry service to Ireland. There are no motorways in Denbighshire. The A55 dual carriageway runs from Chester through St Asaph to
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#1732780424509624-594: Is the Grade II listed Foryd Harbour Bridge, a blue bridge with distinctive bowstring girders built in 1932. Situated over the River Clwyd , it links Rhyl with Kinmel Bay. Another landmark is the Church of St Margaret of Antioch . The Marble Church was built by Lady Margaret in memory of her late husband, Sir Henry Peyto Willoughby de Broke. It was completed within four years and consecrated on 23 August 1860, becoming
676-399: Is the coast, where Rhyl and Prestatyn form a single built-up area with a population of 46,267. The next-largest towns are Denbigh , Ruthin , and Rhuddlan , while St Asaph is its only city. All of these settlements are in the northern half of the county; the south is even less densely populated, and the only towns are Corwen and Llangollen . The geography of Denbighshire is defined by
728-508: Is uncommon in the English language (represented in modern Welsh by the digraph 'Rh'). As such the name has appeared in English texts as Hulle (1292), Hul (1296), Ryhull (1301), Hyll (1506), Hull (1508), yr Hyll (1597), Rhil (1706), Rhûl (1749), Rhul (1773) Rhyll (1830) and Rhyl (1840). The etymonic origin of the word Rhyl has been the subject of debate for more than a century. It has been suggested that it derives from
780-626: The Clwydian Range to the east, and the Denbigh moors to the north. The highest point in the forest is 'The Mast' at Craig Bron Bannog 501m (1,644 feet). Wildlife includes many birds, including the common crossbill , which is adapted well to the conifers. Nesting platforms have been built at the top of bare trees. There is also an enclosed area where wild horses ( Przewalski's Horses ) can be viewed. In addition, there are several examples of ancient remains, including at least one stone circle and
832-541: The Clydesdale Bank tower, brought to Rhyl from the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival ). The Sky Tower opened in 1989, but it was closed to the public in 2010 and transformed into an illuminated beacon in 2017. A VUE Cinema is also located there. On the East Parade is the SeaQuarium. Up until 2014, Rhyl Suncentre was also an attraction on the East Parade; an indoor water leisure centre which opened in 1980 at
884-478: The Irish Sea to the north, Flintshire to the east, Wrexham to the southeast, Powys to the south, and Gwynedd and Conwy to the west. Rhyl is the largest town, and Ruthin is the administrative centre. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name . Denbighshire has an area of 326 square miles (840 km ) and a population of 95,800, making it sparsely populated. The most populous area
936-542: The Welsh Conservatives in the 2019 general election for the first time. The following MPs were elected from Denbighshire in 2019: From 2024, Denbighshire is covered by four constituencies. These are Bangor Aberconwy , Clwyd North , Clwyd East and Dwyfor Meirionnydd . Denbighshire is also represented in the Senedd by three members elected in 2021: In 2019, research by UnHerd in association with
988-832: The Welsh-medium Ysgol Dewi Sant. There is also a special school in Rhyl called Ysgol Tir Morfa. The first Welsh-medium secondary school in Wales started in Rhyl, as Ysgol Glan Clwyd was opened in the town in 1956 before moving to its present site at St Asaph in 1969. Television signals are received from the Moel-y-Parc TV transmitter and the local relay transmitter situated in Prestatyn . Local radio stations are BBC Radio Wales , BBC Radio Cymru , Capital North West and Wales , Capital Cymru , Heart North and Mid Wales , Point FM and Rhyl Radio,
1040-422: The "credstone", an ancient worship site. Streams run through the forest, including the source of the River Clwyd ; Llyn Brenig lies on the western flank. The Clocaenog Forest was the murder and burial location of Edward Carthy who, at 28, was the youngest victim of serial killer Peter Moore . In March 2002, a 47-year-old man with schizophrenia by the name of Richard Sumner died after handcuffing himself to
1092-584: The 1990s and 2000s; it has since been improved by major regeneration in and around the town. Prior to being in Denbighshire since 1996, it was in the Clwyd district of Rhuddlan , and before that the historic county of Flintshire . Early documents refer to a dwelling in the area named Ty'n Rhyl ("Rhyl croft "), and a manor house with that name still exists in the oldest part of the town. Its Welsh orthography has proved difficult for English writers to transliterate as Rhyl' s opening voiceless alveolar trill
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#17327804245091144-516: The 2011 Census returns, 24.6 per cent stated they could speak Welsh. Since the 20th-century demise of the coal and steel industries in the Wrexham area, there is no heavy industry in the county. Although most towns have small industrial parks or estates for light industry, the economy is based on agriculture and tourism. Much of the working population is employed in the service sector . The uplands support sheep and beef cattle rearing, while in
1196-606: The 2022 local elections, eleven of Rhyl's county councillors belonged to the Welsh Labour Party and one to the Welsh Conservatives . In 2008 Rhyl West appeared as the most deprived ward in Wales in the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation. The 22 councillors on Rhyl Town Council are divided among nine community wards: Bodfor, Brynhedydd, Cefndy, Derwen, Foryd, Pendyffryn, Plastirion, Trellewellyn, and Tynewydd. Association Football Rhyl F.C. , commonly known as
1248-590: The Denbigh Moors from south-east to north-west, and the A525 links Ruthin with St Asaph. There are local bus services between the main towns. Several services by Arriva Buses Wales run along the main coast road between Chester and Holyhead, linking the coastal resorts. Another route links Rhyl to Denbigh. Denbighshire was last represented in the House of Commons by three MPs . The Welsh Labour Party lost to
1300-903: The Lilywhites, is a football club that played historically in English non-league football, but has competed since 1992 in the Welsh football pyramid . In the 2003–2004 season it won the Welsh Premier League , the Welsh Cup and the Welsh League Cup, and was losing finalist in the FAW Premier Cup. In the 2008–2009 season it again won the Welsh Premier League. On 17 May 2010, it was announced that Rhyl's Welsh Premier licence had been revoked. Its appeal
1352-560: The North Wales coast at Abergele, then parallel to the railway through Conwy and Bangor to Holyhead. The A548 run from Chester to Abergele through Deeside and along the coast, before leaving the coast and terminating at Llanrwst . The main road from London, the A5 , passes north-westwards through Llangollen , Corwen and Betws-y-Coed to join the A55 and terminate at Bangor. The A543 crosses
1404-1022: The Parish Church of St Thomas in Bath Street, which is listed as Grade II*. Others are the Midland Bank building, the railway station along with two signal boxes and the public telephone box on the up platform, the Royal Alexandra Hospital , the Sussex Street Baptist Church , Rhyl Town Hall , the Swan public house in Russell Road, the war memorial , and the Welsh Presbyterian Church in Clwyd Street. Also notable
1456-684: The Vale of Clwyd dairy farming and wheat and barley crops predominate. Many towns have livestock markets and farming supports farm machinery merchants, vets, feed merchants, contractors and other ancillaries. With their incomes on the decline, farmers have found opportunities in tourism, rural crafts, specialist food shops, farmers' markets and value-added food products. The upland areas with their sheep farms and small, stone-walled fields are attractive to visitors. Redundant farm buildings are often converted into self-catering accommodation, while many farmhouses supply bed and breakfast. The travel trade began with
1508-432: The Wales . The Denbigh Moors (Mynydd Hiraethog) are in the west of the county and the Berwyn Range adjacent to the southern edge. The River Clwyd has a broad fertile Vale running from south–north in the centre of the county. There is a narrow coastal plain in the north which much residential and holiday-trade development. The highest point in the historic county was Cadair Berwyn at 832 m or 2,730 ft), but
1560-462: The Welsh language Reslo wrestling show on S4C , based his British Wrestling Federation in Rhyl and ran a wrestling training school in the town, the alumni of which included several television wrestlers including Robbie Brookside and Klondyke Kate . The climate is cool and temperate in Rhyl. The climate here is classified as Cfb by the Köppen climate classification . The average temperature in Rhyl
1612-760: The Word teaches both primary and secondary school pupils and was opened in 2019 as a merger of Blessed Edward Jones Catholic School and its feeder Ysgol Mair. Both schools provide education to the age of 16, with sixth-form provision being available at Rhyl Sixth Form centre located in the Rhyl branch of Coleg Llandrillo . In addition to the primary provision at Christ the Word Catholic School, there are five other dedicated primary schools in Rhyl: Christ Church Primary School, Ysgol Bryn Hedydd, Ysgol Emmanuel, Ysgol Llywelyn, and
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1664-430: The arrival of the coast railway in the mid-19th century, opening up the area to Merseyside . This led to a boom in seaside guest houses. More recently, caravan sites and holiday villages have thrived and ownership of holiday homes increased. Initiatives to boost the economy of North Wales continue, including redevelopment of the Rhyl seafront and funfair . The North Wales Coast Line running from Crewe to Holyhead
1716-502: The boundary changes since 1974 make Cadair Berwyn North Top the highest point. Denbighshire borders the present-day principal areas of Gwynedd , Conwy County Borough , Flintshire , Wrexham County Borough , and Powys . Rhyl and Prestatyn form a single built-up area in the north of the county, with a population of 46,267. They are immediately adjacent to the Kinmel Bay and Abergele built-up area in neighbouring Conwy , and at
1768-554: The broad valley of the River Clwyd , which is surrounded by rolling hills on all sides except the north, where it reaches the coast. The Vale of Clwyd , the lower valley, is given over to crops, while cattle and sheep graze the uplands. The Clwydian Range in the east is part of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewydd-Llanelwy) Palaeolithic site has Neanderthal remains of some 225,000 years ago. The county
1820-533: The communities of Trefnant and Cefn Meiriadog from the district of Colwyn (entirely Denbighshire) and most of the Glyndŵr district. The last includes the former Edeyrnion Rural District , part of the administrative county of Merionethshire before 1974, covering the parishes of Betws Gwerfil Goch , Corwen , Gwyddelwern , Llangar , Llandrillo yn Edeirnion and Llansanffraid. Other principal areas including part of historical Denbighshire are Conwy , which picked up
1872-426: The components, the final three tower sections being delivered on 26 July 2019. 53°03′54″N 3°28′44″W / 53.06504°N 3.47886°W / 53.06504; -3.47886 Denbighshire Denbighshire ( / ˈ d ɛ n b i ʃ ər , - ʃ ɪər / DEN -bee-shər, -sheer ; Welsh : Sir Ddinbych [ˌsiːr ˈðɪnbɨχ] ) is a county in the north-east of Wales . It borders
1924-445: The eastern end of series of coastal resorts which that also includes Colwyn Bay and Llandudno further west. According to the 2021 United Kingdom census , Denbighshire's population was approximately 95,800. According to previous censuses, the population of Denbighshire was 93,734 in 2011 and 93,065 in 2001. The largest towns on the coast are Rhyl (2001 population c. 25,000) and Prestatyn (2001 population c. 18,000). According to
1976-442: The lake. The Marine Lake Funfair was demolished in the late 1960s, having been replaced by the nearby Ocean Beach Funfair . Ocean Beach finally closed on 2 September 2007 and was demolished to make way for a planned new development initially called Ocean Plaza. This was to include apartments, a hotel and various retail outlets. However, work on Ocean Plaza never went ahead as scheduled and the land lay vacant for several years after
2028-605: The land as Natural Resources Wales ' flood regulations now prohibit this. The plans were approved by the local authority in November 2014. In August 2015, The Range retail chain signed a 20-year lease and opened a new outlet on the site in March 2018. Aldi also opened a branch on the site in 2019. For elections to Denbighshire County Council , Rhyl is divided into six electoral wards : Rhyl East, Rhyl South, Rhyl South West, Rhyl Trellewelyn, Rhyl Ty Newydd, and Rhyl West . After
2080-451: The lithic remains belonged to ancient peoples, who while passing through the area, made camp by the river more than 9,000 years ago. The eastern edge of Denbighshire follows the ridge of the Clwydian Range , with a steep escarpment to the west and a high point at Moel Famau (1,820 ft (555 m)), which with the upper Dee Valley forms an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley – one of just five in
2132-399: The original developers, Modus Properties, went bankrupt in 2009. The site was sold to a new company, Scarborough Development Group (SDG), in 2010, but again no work commenced on the site for several years. In 2014, SDG submitted revised plans to develop the land on a much smaller scale than the original plans. Now called Marina Quay, the plans no longer include the building of new apartments on
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2184-409: The parish church of a new parish of Bodelwyddan, covering an area formerly in that of St Asaph . The church opens daily from 9:30 to 16:30, except between 25 December and 6 January. A previous Rhyl landmark was the ornate Pavilion Theatre with five domes, which was demolished in 1974. Half a mile further down the promenade stood Rhyl Pier , opened in 1867 at 2,355 feet (718 m) long. The structure
2236-585: The pollster FocalData showed that most people across the county support the British monarchy . Rhyl Rhyl ( / r ɪ l / ; Welsh : Y Rhyl , pronounced [ə ˈr̥ɨl] ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire in Wales . The town lies on the coast of North Wales , at the mouth of the River Clwyd . To the west is Kinmel Bay and Towyn , to the east Prestatyn , and to
2288-445: The remainder of 1974–1996 Colwyn, the Denbighshire parts of 1974–1996 Aberconwy , and Wrexham , which corresponds to the pre-1974 borough of Wrexham along with most of Wrexham Rural District and several parishes of Glyndŵr. Post-1996 Powys includes the historically Denbighshire parishes of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant , Llansilin and Llangedwyn , which formed part of Glyndŵr district. Researchers have found signs that Denbighshire
2340-480: The south-east Rhuddlan and St Asaph . At the 2011 Census , Rhyl had a population of 25,149, with Rhyl–Kinmel Bay having 31,229. Rhyl forms a conurbation with Prestatyn and its two outlying villages, the Rhyl/Prestatyn Built-up area , whose 2011 population of 46,267 makes it North Wales's most populous non-city. Rhyl was once an elegant Victorian resort town, but suffered rapid decline around
2392-489: The town links with the A55 Holyhead to Chester road at Abergele . The A525 road runs south from the town to Rhuddlan , St Asaph and Ruthin . Several Arriva Buses Wales bus services are run along the main coast road between Chester and Holyhead, linking the resorts. Another route runs between Rhyl and Denbigh. The town has two secondary schools: Rhyl High School and Christ the Word Catholic School . Christ
2444-459: The twentieth century suggests that the original dwelling of Ty'n Rhyl derived from Tŷ'n yr haul (House in the Sun/House of Sunshine). This may be an example of folk etymology , as Rhyl gained popularity as a summer destination for Welsh-speaking tourists and was advertised in English and Welsh as "Sunny Rhyl" . Rhyl has a number of Grade II listed buildings and landmarks. These include
2496-531: Was constructed. The three groups of turbines, north to south, are Tir Mostyn (8), Foel Goch (7) and Marial Gwyn (10). Many more wind turbines are planned. In 2019 deliveries of components for the Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm begun, consisting of 27 Vestas V105 turbines, transported from Ellesmere Port to the development site. Deliveries took place over six months, with a total of 270 components. Halifax-based specialist Collett Transport delivered
2548-471: Was damaged by ships in 1883 and again in 1891. It was further damaged in 1901 by fire. Storms were responsible for further damage in 1909 in 1913 was closed as unsafe. Although it reopened with a much-reduced length in 1930, it closed again in 1966 and was demolished in 1973. Rhyl's top attractions on the West Parade are Rhyl Children's Village theme park, and the 250-foot (76 m) Sky Tower (formerly
2600-714: Was inhabited at least 225,000 years ago. Bontnewydd Palaeolithic site is one of the most significant in Britain. Hominid remains of probable Neanderthals have been found, along with stone tools from the later Middle Pleistocene . In 2021 February, archaeologists from Aeon Archaeology announced a discovery of over 300 Stone Age tools and artifacts in Rhuddlan . They revealed scrapers , microliths , flakes of chert (a hard, fine-grained, sedimentary rock composed of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quartz), flints and other rudimentary tools. An expert, Richard Cooke, believes
2652-556: Was set up under the name of C.P.D. Y Rhyl 1879 . Rugby Union Rhyl and District RFC is the town's rugby union club. It completed a move from its old ground on the Waen in Rhuddlan , when a new ground and clubhouse opened at Tynewydd Fields in 2018. Hockey Rhyl is home to the oldest field hockey club in Wales, formed in 1890. Its first international game was also played at Rhyl, between Ireland and Wales in 1895. Professional Wrestling Veteran promoter Orig Williams , responsible for
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#17327804245092704-526: Was unsuccessful and it was relegated to the Cymru Alliance, returning to the Welsh Premier League in 2013 after winning the Cymru Alliance title, becoming the first club in the history of the competition to complete the season unbeaten. Rhyl has played in Europe on a few occasions. On 21 April 2020, the club announced it was going to cease trading and be formally wound up. In May 2020, a phoenix club
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