Old Ordnance Survey Maps of Denbighshire

This page summarises the local government organisation of Denbighshire since 1889.

  • Denbighshire County Council was formed in 1889, and in 1894 a network of boroughs, urban district and rural district councils was formed across the county.
  • Denbighshire had 2 Municipal Boroughs dating from 1836: Denbigh, and Ruthin. Wrexham became a municipal borough in 1857 and Colwyn Bay in 1934.
  • From 1894 there were also 3 Urban Districts: Abergele & Pensarn, Colwyn Bay & Colwyn, and Llangollen UDCs. Urban Districts had similar powers to boroughs but lacked the powers to appoint mayors or aldermen.
  • Colwyn Bay & Colwyn UDC was renamed Colwyn Bay UDC in 1926 and became a borough in 1934. Abergele & Pensarn was renamed Abergele in 1935.
  • There were also 8 Rural District Councils covering the areas outside the major towns. These were: Chirk, Llangollen, Llanwrst, Llansillin, Ruthin, St Asaph (Denbigh), Uwchaled, and Wrexham RDCs. Most Rural Districts were initially based on the Poor Law Unions, with meetings held at the workhouse.
  • In 1935 the rural districts were reorganised into five: Aled, Ceiriog, Hiraethog, Ruthin, and Wrexham RDCs. Chirk, Llangollen, Llanwrst, Llansillin, St Asaph (Denbigh) and Uwchaled RDCs were abolished.
  • In 1974 major reorganisation saw the boroughs, urban and rural districts abolished and Denbighshire become part of a new county, Clwyd. This was an amalgamation of Denbighshire and Flintshire, together with Edeirnion RDC from Merionethshire. The former Llanwrst RDC became part of Aberconwy District in Gwynedd.
  • Clwyd was a 2-tier administration with six local government districts: Alyn & Deeside; Colwyn; Delyn; Glyndwr; Rhuddland; and Wrexham Maelor, which included the Maelor area of Flintshire.
  • In 1996 Clwyd was abolished as an administrative county (though it retained a ceremonial function) and four new unitary councils formed. These were: Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham County Borough. The new Denbighshire covered a substantially different area from the historic county.
  • Conwy included the former Gwynedd district of Aberconwy; this had been formed in 1974 from Llanwrst RDC from Denbighshire, and Conwy municipal borough, Betws-y-Coed, Llandudno, Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr UDCs, and Nant Conwy RDC from Caernarvonshire. Much of the former Colwyn was also transferred and these now formed a new unitary council, Aberconwy & Colwyn, immediately renamed Conwy County Borough.
  • In 2003 Conwy was transferred from the ceremonial county of Gwynedd to Clwyd.
  • Denbighshire itself now included Prestatyn, Rhyl and St Asaph from Flintshire.
  • Wrexham became Wrexham County Borough and included the former Maelor area from Flintshire.
  • For a list of our Denbighshire maps go to the Denbighshire page, or for the whole of Wales go to the Wales page
  • You can order maps direct from our On-line Mapshop.
    Minor changes are not listed here, but please advise us of any significant errors or omissions.
  • Alan Godfrey Maps, Prospect Business Park, Leadgate, Consett, DH8 7PW. Tel 01207 583388
    The Godfrey Edition / sales@alangodfreymaps.co.uk / 6 January 2018