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| {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} | |||
| {{dablink|In ], '''Morda''' was a blind old man whom the witch ] hired to tend to the fire underneath her cauldron. '''Morda''' is also a }} | |||
| {{Infobox UK place | |||
| | country = England | |||
| | official_name = Morda | |||
| | population = | |||
| | population_ref = | |||
| | civil_parish = ] | |||
| | unitary_england = ] | |||
| | lieutenancy_england = ] | |||
| | region = West Midlands | |||
| | constituency_westminster = ] | |||
| | post_town = OSWESTRY | |||
| | postcode_district = SY10 | |||
| | postcode_area = SY | |||
| | dial_code = 01691 | |||
| | os_grid_reference = | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Morda''' is a village on the outskirts of the town of ], ], ], located |
'''Morda''' is a village on the outskirts of the town of ], ], ], located near the border of England and ]. | ||
| The village is named after the ], a ] of the ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://oswestry.histarch.uk/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/Morda_Valley_15.pdf|title=Interim Report of the Morda Valley Research Project|date=March 1998|publisher=Oswestry & Borders History & Archaeology Group}}</ref> | |||
| == |
== History == | ||
| '''The Morda Valley''' | |||
| {{Unreferenced|date=April 2007}} | |||
| Prior to 1792, Morda comprised the Drill Inn, perhaps one or two farms, and possibly a small ] mill.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=The Industries of the Morda Valley|last=Thomas|first=R. D.|publisher=Shropshire Libraries|year=1939}}</ref> The following decades of the ] saw several factories and mills spring up along the banks of the village's namesake river, which provided a ready source of power for machinery. These mills were used to grind corn for flour, and to manufacture textiles, paper and animal products. Dwellings were also built at this time to house the local workforce, which comprised ]s, ]s and ]s among other ].<ref name=":1" /> | |||
| The local football team, Morda United F.C. were actually founded in 1897, however the origional club folded in 1954, leaving the locals without a club up untill 1977 when the club was reborn. They play their home games at Western Road with a capacity of approximately 120, although legend does have it that it once took over 300 for a Midlands cup encounter between Morda and fierce rivals Kidderminster Harriers. | |||
| They play their football in the Shropshire county premier league and have scarcely moved from the division since their rebirth in the 70's. | |||
| The village's main enterprise at the end of the 18th century was that of Warren Roberts & Co., originally of ], who opened several mills for the printing and dyeing of ].<ref name=":1" /> Calico activities ceased in Morda around 1818.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
| Their most famous players include Colin Turner, Ronaldo, Alan Richards, Derek Graham and Ernie Clarke; all are household names in the local area. | |||
| The village's present school was erected in 1872, replacing one that operated in a malt kiln behind the Drill Inn from around 1850.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
| Their squad today however has had a recent revamp, with former player and now manager Colin Turner bringing in a lot of youth to the club in an effort to propel Morda up the leagues towards the Nationwide Conference. | |||
| Ex Shrewsbury Town FC players Elliot Eaton, Chris Catherall and Michael Pugh have recently signed for the club along with Ex Stoke City F.C player Jack Harris and also Elliott Howes who once plied his trade at Accrington Stanley F.C. | |||
| '''Coal mining and brick making''' | |||
| Morda's claim to fame is that they were the first local side to face European oppositon in the form of Dynamo Fookov, in 1996. Morda eventually ran out comfortable winners against the Bulgarian visitors, who's 70 man squad (along with keeper Dave Vart) drank the social club virtually dry after te game. | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| There were several good sources of ] in Shropshire and in its heyday in the 1800s the local mining industry rivalled neighbouring ] in its output. Contributing to this productivity was coal extracted from Morda, Coed-y-go and ]. The coal in the area was often close to the surface and accordingly the ] was a common method of extraction.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
| {{Shropshire-geo-stub}} | |||
| By the turn of the 19th century, the ] and the ] offshoot opened up the markets to the north and for some fifty years, much coal mining would take place in Morda. In 1813 the ] was laid down to transport coal to the canal at ].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://shropshirehistory.com/mining/nshropscf.htm|title=North Shropshire Coalfield|website=shropshirehistory.com|access-date=2017-12-25}}</ref> In 1860 local entrepreneur ] constructed a railway to link the Morda pits to the main line of the ] at Whitehaven, near ].<ref name=":2" /> The railway opened in 1861 but Savin's bankruptcy in 1866 ended matters and his mine closed in 1869.<ref name=":2" /> | |||
| As some of the mines in the area became flooded, their owners turned instead to utilising the clay dug out as a by-product of mining. This clay was most often used in the making of bricks and pottery items.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oswestry-borderland-heritage.co.uk/?page=51|title=Oswestry Borderland Heritage - Short History|website=www.oswestry-borderland-heritage.co.uk|access-date=2017-12-26}}</ref> | |||
| Coal extraction had mostly ended in the Morda field by 1900.<ref name=":2" /> | |||
| '''Morda House''' | |||
| The village was home to Morda House, otherwise known as the House of Industry or Oswestry Workhouse, originally opened in 1792 as the communal ] for Oswestry, ] and ].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Oswestry/|title=The Workhouse in Oswestry, Shropshire (Salop)|last=Higginbotham|first=Peter|website=www.workhouses.org.uk|access-date=2017-11-28}}</ref> After the ] the workhouse's scope was extended to take in people from many more of the surrounding parishes. | |||
| The main workhouse was a substantial three-storey building that could accommodate up to 300 inmates. In 1891 a 16-bed isolation hospital was erected to the south-east of the workhouse. This later became the Oswestry and ] Isolation Hospital, and then Greenfields Hospital.<ref name=":0" /> Since the 1980s the former hospital has housed Morda & Sweeney Social Club. | |||
| The main workhouse building was destroyed by fire in 1982. The only surviving part of it was a two-storey section that was later incorporated into a private residence.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
| ==Morda United F.C.== | |||
| The village is home to the ] club Morda United, which plays at the Weston Road Ground.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/morda_united.html|title=Morda United|website=www.pyramidpassion.co.uk|access-date=2017-12-25}}</ref> The club was first founded as Morda F.C. in the 1800s, but folded in the mid-1900s. The club was reformed in the 1970s under the name of Morda United F.C. and played throughout central Wales and the West Midlands for more than 40 years. Notable success came in 1991, when the club became ] champions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fchd.info/MORDAU.HTM|title=Football Club History Database - Morda United|website=fchd.info|access-date=2017-11-29}}</ref> Following a period of dormancy from 2017, Morda United reformed and returned to playing action in 2020 in the Shropshire County Football League.<ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=Border Counties Advertizer|url=https://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/sport/18993478.barton-takes-helm-morda-10-months-welsh-football-inactivity/?ref=fbshr&fbclid=IwAR1eC3gTlDEdMCBvfOuAyQazHOPNq838GMijnIBQ-7iNd3ybzxKU7Ml4vEE|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref> | |||
| ==Other== | |||
| Morda features heavily in ''Dear Thief'' (2014), a novel by the award-winning author ].{{cn|date=November 2023}} | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| == External links == | |||
| * at A Vision of Britain through Time | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| {{authority control}} | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
Latest revision as of 19:21, 11 November 2023
Human settlement in England
Morda is a village on the outskirts of the town of Oswestry, Shropshire, England, located near the border of England and Wales.
The village is named after the River Morda, a tributary of the River Vyrnwy.
History
The Morda Valley
Prior to 1792, Morda comprised the Drill Inn, perhaps one or two farms, and possibly a small flour mill. The following decades of the Industrial Revolution saw several factories and mills spring up along the banks of the village's namesake river, which provided a ready source of power for machinery. These mills were used to grind corn for flour, and to manufacture textiles, paper and animal products. Dwellings were also built at this time to house the local workforce, which comprised blacksmiths, wheelwrights and millwrights among other craftspeople.
The village's main enterprise at the end of the 18th century was that of Warren Roberts & Co., originally of Manchester, who opened several mills for the printing and dyeing of calico. Calico activities ceased in Morda around 1818.
The village's present school was erected in 1872, replacing one that operated in a malt kiln behind the Drill Inn from around 1850.
Coal mining and brick making
There were several good sources of coal in Shropshire and in its heyday in the 1800s the local mining industry rivalled neighbouring Staffordshire in its output. Contributing to this productivity was coal extracted from Morda, Coed-y-go and Trefonen. The coal in the area was often close to the surface and accordingly the bell pit was a common method of extraction.
By the turn of the 19th century, the Ellesmere Canal and the Shropshire Union offshoot opened up the markets to the north and for some fifty years, much coal mining would take place in Morda. In 1813 the Morda Tramway was laid down to transport coal to the canal at Maesbury. In 1860 local entrepreneur Thomas Savin constructed a railway to link the Morda pits to the main line of the Cambrian Railway at Whitehaven, near Llynclys. The railway opened in 1861 but Savin's bankruptcy in 1866 ended matters and his mine closed in 1869.
As some of the mines in the area became flooded, their owners turned instead to utilising the clay dug out as a by-product of mining. This clay was most often used in the making of bricks and pottery items.
Coal extraction had mostly ended in the Morda field by 1900.
Morda House
The village was home to Morda House, otherwise known as the House of Industry or Oswestry Workhouse, originally opened in 1792 as the communal workhouse for Oswestry, Chirk and Llansilin. After the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 the workhouse's scope was extended to take in people from many more of the surrounding parishes.
The main workhouse was a substantial three-storey building that could accommodate up to 300 inmates. In 1891 a 16-bed isolation hospital was erected to the south-east of the workhouse. This later became the Oswestry and Chirk Isolation Hospital, and then Greenfields Hospital. Since the 1980s the former hospital has housed Morda & Sweeney Social Club.
The main workhouse building was destroyed by fire in 1982. The only surviving part of it was a two-storey section that was later incorporated into a private residence.
Morda United F.C.
The village is home to the football club Morda United, which plays at the Weston Road Ground. The club was first founded as Morda F.C. in the 1800s, but folded in the mid-1900s. The club was reformed in the 1970s under the name of Morda United F.C. and played throughout central Wales and the West Midlands for more than 40 years. Notable success came in 1991, when the club became Mid Wales Football League champions. Following a period of dormancy from 2017, Morda United reformed and returned to playing action in 2020 in the Shropshire County Football League.
Other
Morda features heavily in Dear Thief (2014), a novel by the award-winning author Samantha Harvey.
References
- "Interim Report of the Morda Valley Research Project" (PDF). Oswestry & Borders History & Archaeology Group. March 1998.
- ^ Thomas, R. D. (1939). The Industries of the Morda Valley. Shropshire Libraries.
- ^ "North Shropshire Coalfield". shropshirehistory.com. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- "Oswestry Borderland Heritage - Short History". www.oswestry-borderland-heritage.co.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
- ^ Higginbotham, Peter. "The Workhouse in Oswestry, Shropshire (Salop)". www.workhouses.org.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
- "Morda United". www.pyramidpassion.co.uk. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- "Football Club History Database - Morda United". fchd.info. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
- "Border Counties Advertizer". Retrieved 7 January 2021.
External links
- Morda at A Vision of Britain through Time
- Morda CofE Primary School
- Morda United F.C.