As part of the ‘Treasures on Tour’ programme, the British Library is lending three objects with particular relevance to Wrexham and north-east Wales.

Wrexham Museum’s latest exhibition, Putting Wrexham On The Map, is inspired by these highly important historic items from the British Library’s collections:  

• The earliest accurate map of the Wrexham area – a map of the counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire produced by Christopher Saxton in 1577 and bound in the personal atlas of William Cecil, the 1st Lord Burghley, secretary of state to Queen Elizabeth I.
• The important survey by John Norden of the lands of the prince of Wales, written in 1620, and containing the earliest surviving detailed illustration of Holt Castle
• A tax collector’s/ An antiquarian’s notebook, once the property of Sion Gruffydd (John Griffiths) of Ruabon, dated to the late 17th century.

All three manuscripts are examples of how Wrexham was surveyed in centuries past and how the town and the surrounding district was represented on maps. 

With this in mind, the exhibition explores the other ways through which Wrexham has become wider known: its football club, Wrexham FC; its brewing tradition, symbolized most notably in Wrexham Lager; its heavy industry such as iron and coal, the inventions and the hardships; the women of Wrexham who have ensured Wrexham has played its part in national events; and how the arts and culture have in recent years helped to transform the town’s reputation. 

The exhibition also includes:

• Archival promotional film footage of Wrexham in the 1980s produced by Wrexham Community Video for Wrexham Maelor Borough Council
• A specially commissioned mini-documentary by Ryan Saunders and Chloe Goodwin on how the arts and culture are changing attitudes to Wrexham
• Two ‘Our Wrexham’ films, recorded during the pandemic about the importance of Wrexham FC and Women’s education in Wrexham.
• and some activities for adults and children inspired by the maps theme: adults (and children) are challenged to create their own map of Wrexham, while younger visitors can also take on the ‘signs’ challenge.

Putting Wrexham On The Map opens on Saturday, May 28th and runs until Saturday, August 27th 2022. Admission is free.