FLINTSHIRE, a county of North Wales. It consists of a narrow tract of land, about twenty-eight miles in length, but varying considerably in its breadth, though in no part exceeding ten miles. The Irish Sea partly bounds it on the north; the river Dee and part of Cheshire on the north and north-east side; and the county of Denbigh on the south and west sides. A portion of the county is detached from the rest by the interposition of a part of Denbighshire. It is divided into five hundreds, viz. Coleshill, Maylor, Mold, Prestatyn, and Rhyddlan. The river Dee formerly washed the walls of the ancient castle of Flint, the county town, but has of late considerably receded, and it has now no means of carrying on commerce by sea, except in very small vessels; and it is necessary that those should be so constructed as to remain dry, during low water, without injury. Mold, the town at which the assizes are held, has rapidly increased, owing in some measure to the establishment of very extensive mills for spinning cotton in its vicinity. The city of St Asaph is neither distinguished by its extent nor the beauty of its buildings. Its situation, on the side of a hill, the summit of which is crowned by the cathedral, and between the rivers Clwyd and Elwy, is very imposing, and strikes the traveller forcibly as he approaches it. Though the immediate vicinity of this city has a sterile appearance, yet the views near it in one direction over the enchanting vale of Clwyd, and in another over the diversified landscape which terminates with the ruins of the castle of Denbigh, present to the eye of those who have a taste for beautiful scenery a most delightful treat.

The diocese of St Asaph extends nearly over the whole of the county, and, from several livings which are held in commendam by the bishop, is a very lucrative preferment The Episcopal chair has, since the Reformation, been filled by many prelates of most distinguished character. Morgan was translated to this see in 1601, as a reward for his eminent acquirements as an oriental linguist. He was employed in translating the sacred writings into the Welsh language, as well as in a part of the English edition commonly called Queen Elizabeth’s Bible. Dr Isaac Barrow, uncle to the celebrated mathematician, was eminent for his munificence to the see, as well as for his profound learning. The pious Beveridge, during a few of his last years, was bishoporSt Asaph; and the chair has been since filled by the amiable and learned Shipley, and the powerful and energetic Horsley. The cathedral has been of late much improve and beautified by the bounty of Bishop Bagot, and the liberal contributions of the nobility and gentry of the county. It was built about the year 1480, upon a foundation of muc more ancient date; it is in length from east to west 1 feet, and in breadth from north to south 108 feet. The most important place in this county, from its wealth, its po pulation, and its continued increase, is the town of Holywell, deriving its name from the well of St Wenefrede, which, in the ages of credulity, was supposed to possess miraculous powers of healing, but has of late been applied to better purposes than nurturing such superstitions. As [7:9:623]there are many Catholics in Flintshire, the belief in the miraculous power of this spring is not wholly extinct, nor have the pilgrimages to it altogether ceased. So late as 1805, indeed, a very zealous attempt was made to revive the credit of the saint, and establish faith in the wonderful cures achieved by bathing in her well. A case was narrated, accompanied with certificates, and a challenge given to all who doubted of the miracle, by an appeal to facts which, however it might confirm the faith of the saint’s votaries, had no influence beyond that narrow circle.

The productions of Flintshire which deserve most notice are the minerals, the preparation of which gives employment to a considerable share of the population. Coals are found in abundance, chiefly near the banks of the Dee, and in other parts near the surface, and in very thick seams. The city of Chester is principally supplied with its fuel from hence, and considerable quantities were shipped for Ireland before the change in the course of the Dee, and before the coal mines of Lancashire and Cumberland had attained their present extent. Lead is most copiously raised from a very extensive mining tract near Holywell; and in the same excavations is raised most excellent limestone, applicable to the purposes of agriculture as well as building, and so hard that it will bear a high polish, in fact a kind of marble. Below the limestone is found petrosilex, which is ground and becomes very valuable in the manufacture of earthenware. Calamine is found in considerable quantities; a part is exported, but much is used within the county in the preparation of brass. The lead is divided by the miners into two kinds; that called cubic, or dice ore, is generally used in glazing earthenware; the other, called white, or steel-grained ore, is principally cast into pigs for distant consumption; this latter contains a portion of silver sufficient to defray the expense of separating the metals, and several thousand ounces have been annually extracted. The workmen in the lead mines are visited with maladies which both embitter and shorten their lives.

The manufactories of this county are very considerable, and have taken that course which the natural productions seem to have indicated. Brass is made by the mixture of copper with calamine, and formed into the different shapes to fit it for domestic and commercial purposes. Copper-works, under the Pargs Mine Company, are constructed, and produce large quantities of copper sheathing, bolts, nails, and other necessaries for naval equipment, as well as brass wire and minuter articles. The potteries are very extensive, and manufacture large quantities of the inferior kinds of earthenware, w □ c11 su PP 1 y the consumption of a great part of Wales, and export considerable quantities to Ireland. Besides those manufactories which the minerals have introduced, the fine stream that issues from the well of St Wenefrede has attracted the attention of cotton-spinners, who have erected a most powerful mass of machinery. They carry on the operations of carding and spinning cotton to a great extent. . ’

The agriculture of this county is in a neglected state, drawing to it a very insufficient portion of its capital; and hence few improvements have been adopted of late years. Near the banks of the Dee there is some good corn land, of a clayey texture, on which, after a fallow, good wheat is grown. The meadows in this part produce excellent herbage, and the cows afford the best possible butter. The northern part of the county is generally a level country, and well calculated for the growth of wheat, oats, and beans. On the higher lands rye is cultivated, but those lands are very imperfectly tilled, and nearly destitute of manure. The rich vale of Mold forms a striking contrast with the more mountainous parts of the county, and yields very good butter, corn, and meat.

The ruins of ancient edifices, and other antiquities, are numerous, and invite the attention of the antiquarian. A few years ago, whilst digging for the purpose of laying the foundation of a copper work, a Roman hypocaust y or hot bath, was discovered, furnished with numerous flues, covered with tiles of a red colour; a clear evidence that the county had been anciently inhabited by some persons acquainted with the luxuries of Rome.

Few counties, in proportion to their extent, contain so many gentlemen’s seats as Flintshire. The most remarkable are, Mostyn Hall, Sir Thomas Mostyn; Pengewern, Sir Edward Pryce Lloyd; Boddlewyddan, Sir John Williams; Kinmael Hall, Reverend Edward Hughes; Gwernhailed, Philip Lloyd Fletcher, Esq.; Hamner Hall, Sir Thomas Hanmer; Downing, David Pennant, Esq.; Halken, Earl Grosvenor; Adwynt, J. Roberts, Esq.; Llewenny Hall, Lord Kirkwall.

The following are the returns of the population for the years ending 1811, 1821, and 1831.
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See Agricultural Survey of North Wales; Wynne’s History of Wales ; Aikin’s lourin North Wales. (g.)