Coed Talon (also spelt "Coed-talon") is a small, formerly industrial village between Leeswood and Treuddyn in Flintshire, Wales. Its name is derived from the Welsh word coed ("wood") and the word talwrn, anglicised to "Talon", meaning a "hillside devoid of trees" or "threshing-floor" (perhaps referring to a wood beneath a bare hillside).[1]
History
The area, about four miles from the market town of Mold, was primarily agricultural until the nineteenth century, when following the discovery of coal and iron ore seams, an ironworks and a series of collieries were opened. In 1892, a bed of fireclay was discovered[2] and a brickworks was subsequently opened. There was also a silica quarry nearby at Waun y Llyn.
The station closed in 1950 and the line to Brymbo was taken out of use shortly afterwards, though goods trains from Mold continued until 1963.
Recent developments
The village still has a pub called the Railway Inn. The small-scale colliery workings at Coed Talon operated until 1987, and were subsequently worked by the opencast method. A brickworks also continued in operation at Coed Talon until relatively recently.
The village's hotel was sold and converted into dwellings in the 2000s.
The steam train used to pass by Coed Talon CP School in the 1950’s on its way to & from the Silica Works.
Due to the village's close proximity to Treuddyn (and its Welsh-language primary school, Ysgol Terrig), the numbers of Welsh speakers are above the county's average and continue to grow.
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coed Talon.
^Davies, E. Flintshire place-names, University of Wales Press, 1959, p.38
^"Coed Talon Colliery". Wrexham Advertiser. 25 June 1892.
