A-Z of Services

A Brief Chronology of Bryn Estyn, Wrexham Now known as Erlas Centre

The first building on the site dates back to Tudor times and was probably a tenement or farm, part of the original Erlas Hall Estate which is to the south-east of the site.

1783 - 1893
1903 - current

Up to 1783 Bryn Estyn was part of the estate of the Davies family of Erlas Hall until Williams Kyffin, of Maenan Hall married one of the two daughters of Roger Davies of Erlas, so Bryn Estyn passed into the possession of the Kyffins.

1783

Sir Thomas sold Bryn Estyn to Richard Lloyd, wealthy flannel merchant and a pioneer of banking in Wrexham.

1810

Sir William Lloyd was installed in Bryn Estyn by his father.

1815

Old Richard Lloyd died at Bryn Estyn.

1849

Lloyds Bank in Wrexham (not to be confused with the present day well known high street bank) collapsed and brought shame to the family.

1857

Bryn Estyn passed to Captain Godfrey on the death of his father Colonel Sir Williams Lloyd, High Sheriff of the County (then Denbighshire).

1893

Captain Godfrey died and his son inherited Bryn Estyn.

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The original house, from 18 century, was a stone built mansion within the grounds of the present Erlas Centre. F W Soames who brought the house and land in 1903 demolished this. The replacement building was erected within the grounds, but not on the same site.

1903

F W Soames, a Wrexham brewer bought the house.

1904/05

Soames demolished the old Georgian house and built the half timbered mansion in mock Tudor style.

1939/41

The site was used as a Ordnance Depot during the second World War. Little information about this period can be gleaned owing to the secret nature of the work at time.

1942

Bryn Estyn became an Approved School for boys from Merseyside and further afield. Mr James Bennett was to be Headmaster for 26 years. He was well liked and respected by the boys and earned the school a very good reputation.

1975

The Approved School closed. The building was boarded and left empty. Subsequently the building was taken over by Social Services (dates unknown) and after their time here the building was boarded up again.

1989

Bryn Estyn was refurbished and opened as a TVEI Centre and Information Support Unit for Clwyd Schools. Providing Technical, Curriculum and Management Information Systems support to schools in the County, and also Pupil projects for pupils to attend and make use of computer suites, media suite, ecology and science facilities.

1992

The name was changed to Erlas House.

1996

On local government reorganisation the new Unitary Authority of Wrexham took over Erlas House, the name was changed again to Erlas Centre and the two sections combined under one management structure, but the same support provision was offered to the same schools, under agreements with the other Unitary Authorities that used to make up the old ‘Clwyd’, Wrexham, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Conwy.

1998-2006

Subsequent to the other Counties withdrawing their part of the funding and setting up independent services for IT, the usage and structure of Erlas Centre changed yet again.

2006-to date

The Centre now provides a variety of office facilities for various departments of the Children & Young People Service and other sections of Wrexham County Borough Council. It is used essentially as a Conference and Training Centre but is also home to the Learning & Teaching Advisors, Basic Skills Officer, Primary School Officers and Early Years Officer & Team.

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