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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.}} | |||
| {{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 |
'''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> | |||
| Morda is home to historian Anf Butler ], noted for his anthropological research on the ] of ] now known as ]. Whilst in the ] he wrote a travel journal ''The Lonely Mordonian''. Whereby he concluded that the tribe were lacking in any sense of ], similar to the inhabitants of the nearby village of Ellesmere. | |||
| == History == | |||
| It is rumored on the grapevine that local celebrity Colin Turner, known locally as "The Godfather", who once appeared in "E.T" is considering donating a large sum of money to the Morda Conservation Society (MCS) for the protection of endangered species in the local area, noticeably the illusive Pot-bellied mole, a mammal with ]. | |||
| '''The Morda Valley''' | |||
| 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" /> | |||
| Also Known for a large sporting community comprising of two football teams, Morda Town FC and Morda City who frequently partake in what is known as the Village Derby. They play their games at critically acclaimed Corner Shop stadium, which also doubles up as the local mud wrestling venue. Elliot 'Chubby checker' Howes or better known as 'Shovel head' is a Morda Town legend who has been commemorated with with his own mud figurine on the half way line and his own seat in the non existent corner-shop stand. | |||
| Sadly, as with most modern low division football teams there is a lot of thuggery, Morda's notorious firm are lead by Robert Whitchurch. | |||
| 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" /> | |||
| There is a famous claim that ], a popular children's toy was invented by an amateur engineer who lived to the south of the village. This claim was found in a letter to ] | |||
| 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" /> | |||
| Another notable trait of classic mordonians is slobbery and ], showed by the one and only legendary Carl Kynaston. It is said he is one of the only true mordonians left, and like the ] this is a breed that is dying out quicker than the rates of extinction in ]. | |||
| '''Coal mining and brick making''' | |||
| Inhabitants of Morda are officialy known as Mordonians. Other, more commonly used terms include "stig" and "social outcast". Notable current and past Mordonians include: | |||
| <br />–Colin Turner aka "The Godfather" | |||
| 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" /> | |||
| <br />–Anf Butler | |||
| <br />–Tudor Gillham | |||
| 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" /> | |||
| <br />–Ian "Ernie" Clarke | |||
| <br />–Chris Chapman | |||
| 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> | |||
| <br />–Carl Kynaston | |||
| <br />–] | |||
| 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.