Brymbo, a village first mentioned in records from 1339, is located to the west of Wrexham town, surrounded largely by farmland. Historically, the area relied heavily on coal mining and steelmaking, with the Brymbo Steelworks—operational from 1794 to 1990—serving as a major industrial hub for the village and its surroundings.
In the 15th century, Edward ap Morgan ap Madoc, a local landowner, built a residence in what would later become Brymbo Hall. The house underwent significant Baroque-style renovations, making it uniquely ornate for Wales. In 1792, industrialist John “Iron Mad” Wilkinson purchased the estate. Recognizing the area’s rich coal and iron deposits, Wilkinson began mining operations and established an ironworks that evolved into the Brymbo Steelworks.
By 1821, the estate hosted 41 coal pits. Throughout the 19th century, larger deep mines were established in the area, and much of Brymbo village was developed to house miners and ironworkers. Initially producing pig iron—raw iron from smelting ore—the ironworks diversified to meet rising demand, manufacturing iron and steel products such as rails, bars, and plates. These materials were essential for constructing railways, bridges, and other infrastructure projects of the era. Despite economic challenges and technological advancements in the mid-19th century, Brymbo Ironworks adapted through ownership changes and modernization, maintaining its role in the region’s industrial growth.
The area’s last deep mine, Plas Power pit near Southsea, closed in 1938, while the Smelt drift mine, west of the village, ceased operations in 1967. Open-cast mining extracted remaining coal deposits near the steelworks between 1972 and 1975.
The village, perched on the steep slopes of Brymbo Hill, offers spectacular views of the Cheshire Plain. However, its rugged terrain presented challenges when the steelworks expanded in 1956. New facilities required the construction of a vast artificial plateau using slag from the furnaces, which buried much of the nearby Lodge village. Residents were relocated, and their homes were demolished.
By the 20th century, Brymbo Ironworks faced increasing competition and economic pressures. The decline of the UK’s iron and steel industry led to the gradual closure of many facilities. Brymbo Steelworks closed in stages between 1990 and 1991, leaving a lasting economic impact on the village.
In August 1958, workers digging a trench in Brymbo uncovered a significant archaeological discovery: the burial site of “Brymbo Man” or “Brymbo Beaker Man,” dated to the early Bronze Age around 1600 BC. Found alongside a flint knife and earthenware beaker, the remains belonged to a man approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and aged 35–40. Initially displayed at the National Museum in Cardiff, the remains were returned to Wrexham in 1998, and in 2001, Manchester University created a wax model reconstruction of the skull, now exhibited at Wrexham Museum.
Another important find occurred in 2006 during redevelopment of the former steelworks site: a fossilized forest of over 20 petrified trees from the Carboniferous Period.
The ancient earthwork Offa’s Dyke passes near the village, with a section once visible close to Brymbo Hall. In 1892, Professor Thomas McKenny Hughes conducted the first scientific excavation of Offa’s Dyke near Brymbo.
