Empire Hotel

May 25, 2019

A real shambles in Hawarden


The archways next to the Glynne Arms in Hawarden may look mundane - one has been a bus shelter for decades - but they were created as butchers' stalls and were known as "the shambles". Two hooks ...

which you can see at one of the archways were probably used to hang meat in the pre-refrigeration era. One of Hawarden's butchers made a quick killing by buying and selling the hide of cow which had been slaughtered after knocking over Prime Minister WE Gladstone, an incident which delighted the press and political opponents. For more on the history of the shambles - and a photo of a butcher there c.1900 - scan the HistoryPoints QR codes at the archway nearest the Glynne Arms with your mobile. Or click here