Bridge Street is named after the Homs Bridge which crosses the river Gwenfro at the bottom of the road. The 1812 Wynnstay Survey of the Manor of Wrexham Abbot shows this street to have been named Pont Liana. There is an interesting portrayal of this bridge in a painting by the Wrexham artist Downman. The Horns Inn that used to be on the corner was a long-favoured drinking hole of the drovers and of farmers bringing stock to market and was one of the medieval entrance routes into the town.
Some of the houses here are timber-framed and date from at least the 17th century. One property, located down an alleyway beside off Bridge Street had a decorated stone panel, of possible Elizabethan origin, above the door.
The now derelict Cambrian Brewery site facing St Giles’ Church is yet another be a significant loss to the town’s heritage. Joseph Clark of Clark & Orfords started brewing here in 1844. However, the company took off in 1874 under the dynamic William Sissons. He seemed sure of his talents saying that London and Birmingham only wanted Welsh water, not to drink, but in a desperate attempt to make ale as good as those of Wrexham. The brewery closed in 1922. There were at least three more breweries on Bridge Street: Burton’s Brewery, the Bridge Street Brewery and the Eagle Brewery.
There were plans to re-launch Wrexham Lager by using the Cambrian Brewery site. However, despite the efforts of several former employees of Wrexham Lager, the plan did not attract the venture capital necessary, and the Cambrian Brewery was demolished. However, Wrexham Lager has re-appeared in a microbrewery on St. Georges Crescent in the town. However, Wrexham Lager has re-appeared in a microbrewery on St. Georges Crescent in the town.
