RHYDYCROESAU CHURCH.
In addition to the above means of providing church accommodation to the inhabitants of the parish, an additional advantage has been gained by annexing the two Welsh townships of Pentregaer and Cynynion to the new church at Rhydycroesau. This church is situated on the high road to Llansilin, about three and a half miles from the town of Oswestry. It owes its foundation to the Rev. G. N. K. Lloyd, late Rector of Selattyn, who contributed liberally himself, and, with the co-operation of the first and present Incumbent, the Rev. Robert Williams, M.A., raised a sufficient fund, by voluntary contributions, to complete the church and erect a glebe-house. The church was consecrated August 2nd, 1838, by the Bishop of St. Asaph, and the glebe-house was built in 1840. It is a Consolidated District Church, licensed for all parochial purposes; and has a legally-assigned district, consisting of the townships of Cynynion and Pentregaer, in the parish of Oswestry; a detached portion of the parish of Llanyblodwel, called Cefnymaes; with portions of the parishes of Llansilin and Selattyn. A very neat Gothic building has also been erected by the present Incumbent, aided by voluntary contributions, and opened as a National School in January, 1850. The sites for the school and playground, as well as for the church and church-yard, are the munificent gifts of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart. The portion of the population of the parish of Oswestry thus transferred to the district of Rhydycroesau is about 200.
Nothing is now needed to make the ecclesiastical arrangements of the parish of Oswestry complete but the building of a chapel-of-ease at Maesbury, and the annexing a district to Morton Chapel; the latter of which objects will no doubt be effected whenever a new Incumbent shall be appointed to it.
Oswestry is a discharged Vicarage, in the gift of the Earl of Powis. The present Incumbent is the Rev. Thomas Salwey, B.D.