River Gwenfro

The River Gwenfro (Welsh: Afon Gwenfro) is a small river in Wrexham County Borough, north Wales. It is a tributary of the Clywedog.[1] The name Gwenfro is possibly derived from the Welsh language words gwen (feminine of gwyn), "white", and bro, "border", "boundary".[2] (However bro here means "vale", and gwen is likely to mean "holy", thus "holy vale".)

Gwenfro
Afon Gwenfro
The Gwenfro, near Tanyfron.
Location
CountryWales
CountiesWrexham County Borough
Physical characteristics
SourceFynnon y Ceirw
 • locationBwlchgwyn, Wrexham County Borough
 • coordinates53°4′19″N 3°5′27.7″W
MouthRiver Clywedog
 • location
near Wrexham
 • coordinates
53°2′8.2″N 2°58′28.8″W

The river rises at a number of small springs south and east of the village of Bwlchgwyn, including a place called Ffynnon y Ceirw ("spring of the stags"). It flows eastwards for several miles through a rather deep valley, and is joined by several other streams; it then passes through Wrexham town centre, where it is largely culverted, and joins the Clywedog at King's Mills.

The Gwenfro was an important water source for Wrexham industry and has had pollution issues. Although still periodically affected – an incident in 2006 led to a fine for Welsh Water – fish including brown trout and roach are now present.[3]

References
  1. Rand McNally encyclopedia of world rivers, 1980, p.167
  2. Davis, E. Flintshire place-names, University of Wales Press, 1959, p.79
  3. Water firm pollution killed fish, BBC news, 28-07-07
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