In 2019, Dr. Shaun Evans was commissioned by Acorn Leisure and Flintshire County Council to write a report on the history of Maes Mynan – located between Caerwys and Bodfari in north east Wales.
In Welsh tradition, Maes Mynan is held to be a llys of the princes of Gwynedd. Although there are no sources which explicitly confirm this association, a body of circumstantial evidence strongly supports the conclusion. In particular, it can be asserted with some certainty that the lands belonged to Gwenllian de Lacy, a daughter of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth. Following Edward I’s conquest of Gwynedd, Maes Mynan was granted to the de Grey family of Ruthin, who managed the lands as an important manorial centre as part of their marcher lordship of Dyffryn Clwyd or Ruthin, a link which had significant implications for the nature of the later Denbighshire-Flintshire border. Evidence from the 14th and 15th centuries shows that Maes Mynan was a significant agricultural site, complete with a deer park on Moel y Parc and mill.
The Grey family sold Maes Mynan to the Crown in the early-16th century, after which it passed through the Salusburys and Masseys through lease and purchase respectively. By the mid-17th century the estate had been acquired by the powerful Mostyn family – with John Mostyn rebuilding the hall and taking up residence until his death in 1675. It afterwards remained as part of the Mostyn estate until 1864, occasionally used as a residence by a younger son but usually let out to tenants. During this period the Mostyns succeeded in acquiring and consolidating a huge tract of land surrounding Maes Mynan and the town of Caerwys.
From the 18th century the landscape surrounding Maes Mynan was esteemed for its scenic beauty, wildlife, agricultural productivity and sporting potential. Features such as Nant Mihangel and Moel y Parc received particular attention. It was also linked to a number of adjacent transport links. From the 1860s the estate – which gradually reduced in size – went through a number of sales, the residency of the Pickstone and Davey families being particularly noteworthy. During this period the estate emerged as an important centre for testing agricultural improvements and implements, and as a centre of horticulture.
The report was inspired by a new holiday park development, set in a 90-acre site closely associated with the landscape of Maes Mynan. Maes Mynan Park is the vision of Louise and Peter Barlow of Acorn Leisure. The information on the history of the site contained within the report was designed to inform and inspire how the Maes Mynan Park experience is marketed, designed and presented, as an attractive destination for visitors, as an authentic showcase of the area’s history, culture and landscape, and as a hub for energising and connecting the local visitor economy.
Maes Mynan Park was officially opened by Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, in September 2019, with the Deputy Minister presented with a copy of the report on the occasion.
Dr. Evans presented a public talk on the history of Maes Mynan to the Caerwys Historical Society in April 2021.
