ensive one, containing upwards of
17,000 acres, with a population, according to the census of 1871, of
7088. Sixteen townships are included in it; Hawarden, Broadlane, Mancot
Aston, Shotton, Pentrobin, Moor, Rake, Manor, Bannel, Bretton, Broughton,
Ewloe Wood, Ewloe Town, Saltney and Sealand. To provide for the
spiritual wants of so large a district, four daughter churches have been
built--viz.: S. Matthew's, Buckley, {35a} in 1822, S. Mary's, Broughton,
{35b} in 1824, S. Johns, Penymynydd, {35c} in 1843, and S. Bartholomew's,
Sealand, in 1867. The work of the Parish Church is now further
supplemented by three new School-chapels at Shotton, Sandycroft and
Ewloe. The chief portion of Saltney, and the district of Buckley, have
been recently separated from Hawarden for ecclesiastical purposes.

{Lodge Gate--Broughton Approach: p35.jpg}

The Rector of Hawarden has also to provide for the management and support
of eight National Schools, involving an annual expenditure of 1460
pounds. The requirements of the Education Act of 1870 involved an outlay
of 4300 pounds raised entirely from local sources.

The patronage of the living is vested in the Lord of the Manor. {36} The
Rev. S. E. Gladstone, the present Rector, was appointed by the late Sir
Stephen Glynne in 1872.

The Grammar School is finely situated, near the Church, and has
accommodation for 50 scholars, inclusive of 20 boarders. The income from
endowment is 24 pounds.

The temporary building adjoining contains a portion of the Library of the
Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.

The land about Hawarden varies much in quality. The best lies towards
the river and on Saltney, where are large and well cultivated farms. On
the higher ground in Pentrobin the soil is poorer; here however are found
holdings that have remained in the same family for generations. The land
is mainly arable; but little cheese being now made.

About one mile and a half from Hawarden on the road to Northop, lie
ensconced in a wood the scant remains of the old Castle of Ewloe--the
scene of a battle between the English and Welsh in 1157, in which the
former were defeated by David and Conan, sons of Owen Gwynedd.

The district is rich in beds of coal and clay. The former have been
worked from an early period when the coal was mostly sent to Chester; but
the difficulties of carriage before the turnpike road was made, and
especially of draining the mines, which before steam-engines came into
u