Shotton, Flintshire

Shotton is a town and community in Flintshire, Wales, within the Deeside conurbation along the River Dee, joined with Connah's Quay, near the border with England. It is located 5 miles (8 km) west of Chester and can be reached by road from the A548. In the 2011 census Shotton had a population of 6,663.[1][2]

Shotton
A view from the railway bridge, showing Chester Road
Shotton is located in Flintshire
Shotton
Shotton
Location within Flintshire
Population6,663 
(2011 census)
OS grid referenceSJ305685
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townDEESIDE
Postcode districtCH5
Dialling code01244
PoliceNorth Wales
FireNorth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
Websiteshotton-tc.co.uk

Etymologies

The town's name is first recorded in Old English as Cyllingas. This name derives from the Welsh language word Celyn (meaning Holly) and has persisted in one form or another throughout the town's history. By 1822 Richard Willett recorded the name as Kyllins, which he says contains "one of the parish's most notable ancient houses". Even today, Killin's Farm and Killin's Lane may still be found in the oldest part of town.[3]

The town's modern English name is shared with three other towns in Britain. These towns (all on the English side of the Scottish border) derive their names from Town of Scots but it is unlikely that a Flintshire town shares this etymology. The name probably derives from Scēot-tūn = "farmstead on or near a steep slope", or from Shot-tūn = "farmstead in a clearing in the wood". The town is officially named Shotton in both English and Welsh, making it one of the few towns in Wales to officially have neither a recognised Welsh spelling or Welsh etymology.

History

The town grew from the 18th century around coal mining and farming on reclaimed marshland. Shotton also became a railway junction. The John Summers & Sons steelworks was established in 1896 on a six-acre site. At its peak it employed over 13,000. Following nationalisation in 1967, the works became part of the British Steel Corporation.[4] Although it is known as Shotton Steel Works,[5] the large plant (owned by Tata Steel since 2006) is across the river from Shotton,[6] with most being in the community of Connah's Quay.[7]

The town lies next to the Hawarden Bridge, which was completed in 1889 as a swing-opening bridge. The opening mechanism was disabled in 1960.[8]

Demography

Shotton has an area of 2.34 km2, with a density of 3,001 km2. The population is roughly 50% male and female and 62.2% are between the ages of 18 and 64.[1][2]

The community consists of three electoral wards of the Flintshire County Council local authority:

Ward 2001 census 2011 census
Shotton East 1,803[9] 1,958[10]
Shotton Higher 2,529[11] 2,576[12]
Shotton West 1,933[13] 2,129[14]
Shotton Total 6,265 6,663

Education

Shotton is served by the following schools:

John Summers High School (formerly Deeside High School) closed on 20 July 2017.

Transport

Shotton railway station is on the Borderlands Line and the North Wales Coast Line.

Notable people

See also

References
  1. UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Shotton Parish (Community) (W04000208)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  2. Brinkhoff, Thomas. "Shotton: Community in Wales". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  3. Willet, Richard (1822). A Memoir of Hawarden Parish, Flintshire, Containing Short Introductory Notices of the Princes of North Wales: So Far as to Connect, and Elucidate, Distant and Obscure Events. Hawarden, Wales. p. 120.
  4. Atkinson, Keith. "Chapter 11: John Summers & Sons". History of Shotton, Deeside. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
  5. "History of Shotton Steel Works". DEESIDE.COM. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  6. "Shotton Community". MapIt. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  7. "Connah's Quay Community". MapIt. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  8. Stacy, Mungo (16 February 2015). "Hawarden Swing Bridge". Rail Engineer. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  9. UK Census (2001). "Local Area Report – Shotton East Ward (00NJRP)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  10. UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Holywell Central Ward (W05000231)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  11. UK Census (2001). "Local Area Report – Shotton Higher Ward (00NJRQ)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  12. UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Shotton Higher Ward (W05000232)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  13. UK Census (2001). "Local Area Report – Shotton West Ward (00NJRR)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  14. UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Shotton West Ward (W05000233)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
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