Pen-y-cae means 'head of the field' or 'end of the field'. Although often written as one word without hyphens, in its correct form the name is hyphenised due to the definite article 'y' preceding a single-syllable element.[2]
History
St Thomas' Parish Church
The village was part of the ancient parish of Ruabon and the district was known as Dynhinlle Uchaf (but also known as Y Dref Fechan or Cristionydd Fechan).
The new parish of Pen-y-cae was formed 1879, from parts of the existing parishes of Ruabon, Rhosllanerchrugog and Rhosymedre. St Thomas' Church Penycae, then-Parish Church, was consecrated in 1878. However, most of the population of the parish were nonconformists and attended the Baptist chapels of Salem and Sion in Groes; the Calvinistic Methodist chapels in Groes and Tainant; the Wesleyan chapel of Soar in Stryt Issa; or the Primitive Methodist chapel in Copperas. Below is a list of Chapels in the community some moved locations over time and only three are currently active as of 2024[3]
Church in wales:
St Thomas
Baptists:
Groes Sion English Baptists
Salem Welsh Baptists"Capel y Bedyddwyr Salem"
Methodists:
Copperas Primitive Methodist
Tai Nant Welsh Calvinistic Methodist"Methodistaidd Calfinaidd Tai Nant"
Soar Welsh Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan)
"Methodistaidd Soar Stryt-Isa"
Groes Welsh Calvinistic Methodist"Methodistaidd Calfinaidd Y Groes"
Newtown Mountain Welsh Calvinist Methodists "Methodistaidd Calfinaidd Capel y Mynydd"
Other:
Plas Bennion Road Mission Room
Plas Du
Penycae Church Of The Nazarene
Industry/employment
The Pen-y-cae Upper Reservoir
Coal was extracted from pits at Plas Bennion, Wynn Hall, Afon Eitha, Cristionydd, Groes and Plas Isaf; zinc was worked at Copperas. The area descending towards Acrefair was known as "The Delph", it was served by extensions of the Ruabon Brook Tramway but these were mostly defunct by the mid-20th century.
Most inhabitants find employment outside the village in Wrexham with only a few local shops or public buildings providing jobs.
Dee Valley Water operates two reservoirs in Pen-y-cae: Pen-y-cae Upper and Pen-y-cae Lower.[4]
Transport
Wright & Son, ran a bus service from Pen-y-cae to Wrexham via Rhos, and later via Ponciau also. When the bus industry was de-regulated in 1986 there was fierce competition between Wright's and the much larger Crosville company. Wright's, the last surviving independent local company, ceased operations in 1993 leaving Crosville as the sole service provider in the Wrexham area.
Arriva currently operates a bus service to Wrexham Bus Station.[5] The nearest railway station is Ruabon, located two miles away from the village, which has daily services towards Chester and Shrewsbury.
