Maelor

Coordinates: 53°03′50″N 2°52′19″W / 53.064°N 2.872°W / 53.064; -2.872 Maelor is a border area of north-east Wales and north-west England, now entirely part of Wrexham County Borough.

History

Maelor originated as a cantref of the Kingdom of Powys, focused on Bangor-on-Dee and containing of the commotes of Maelor, Iâl, Ystrad Alun and Yr Hob.

It became divided from the kingdom by the construction of Offa's Dyke in the eighth century and became part of the Kingdom of Mercia. It was reclaimed for Powys during the reign of Stephen of England (1135–54) by Madog ap Maredudd of Kingdom of Powys. He died in 1160 and the kingdom was subdivided amongst his heirs, Maelor becoming a substantial part of what was later known as Powys Fadog. By the thirteenth century Maelor had been divided into numerous parts including Maelor Gymraeg (English: Welsh Maelor) based upon Wrexham, and Maelor Saesneg (English: English Maelor) which included various Anglo-Norman lordships, namely Overton, Ellesmere, Whittington and Oswestry.