Probably named after College House. It is thought that there were once plans to make Wrexham Parish Church a collegiate church but there is no evidence that this ever actually occurred. It may have been that the events of the Reformation put paid to any plans before they were implemented. The Welsh name for this street was Camfa’r Cwn (The Dog’s Style) after the style which was situated by the churchyard. It has also been known as Cefn y Cwm which was undoubtedly a distortion of Camfa’r Cwn. There was once a kiln located at the foot of the present-day steps.
The Commercial Inn building dates to 1820 and was probably purpose-built to be a public house (now private flats) and was one of the oldest licensed premises in Wrexham. The building was first recorded as “The Commercial Hotel” in 1841, and replaced an earlier building on the same site, a previous pub known as the “Blue Posts”, recorded at the site from the 1690s up until the current building’s construction in the early 19th century. It was also known as the “Blue Bell Inn” and later combined with the “Ship Inn” which was located next door.
It is claimed to be in a premises in this street called Hughes’ Yard that the first Wesleyan Methodist sermon was preached in 1773 by Samuel Bradburn of Chester.
