Flintshire is one of the oldest and most distinctive counties in Wales. Its proximity to Chester meant that it had a special status within Wales after Edward I’s conquest in the 1280s. Flint Castle was built around that time to pacify the Welsh but was destroyed in the English Civil War.
A Roman Catholic shrine in Holywell became a national shrine for Wales, and it was said that two pilgrimages to Holywell was worth one to Rome.
Nearby Hawarden was the home of William Ewart Gladstone, four times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. His legacy is still highly visible in this picturesque village.
Although Flintshire is now a predominantly English speaking county it was the home of Daniel Owen, the man often described as Wales’s answer to Charles Dickens, whose novels have remained as popular today in Wales as they were on his death 110 years ago.
The county of Flintshire has a wealth of leisure and cultural activities, unspoilt countryside of immense beauty, a rich and fascinating history spanning more than seven centuries and a wide range of friendly rural pubs.
Mold is also the home to Clwyd Theatr Cymru, under its director Terry Hands, one of the world’s greatest theatrical directors. The theatre regularly attracts some of the biggest names in theatre and the arts.
Buckley, a few miles from Mold, is the home of the Tivoli Nightclub, where Oasis first played. It has a range of themed nights such as Rock and Indie, local bands and student nights.
