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Pontybodkin oil works

Location	53.126296, -3.093197,
Former parish and county	Leeswood parish, County of Flint
Current local authority area	Flintshire
Opened	c. 1864
Closed	c. 1869
Number of retorts	not known
Ownership history	London, Leeswood & Erith Mineral Oil Co. Ltd
Current status of site	Woodland

The first edition OS map (surveyed c.1872) shows four long structures (most likely benches of retorts or stills), and some smaller building on a site immediately north of the Black Brook to the north west of the village of Pont-Y-Bodkin. Although unlabelled on the map, this is assumed to be Pont-Y-Bodkin Oil Works.

The London, Leeswood & Erith Mineral Oil Co. Ltd, formed in 1864, were owners of the Pont-Y-Bodkin Oil Works. By 1866 the company had appointed William Mattieu Williams as General Manager. Williams had been chairman of Williams's Patent Mineral Charcoal and Oil Co. Ltd., whose "Patent Oil Works" were also located in Pont-y-Bodkin, on a site which is yet to be identified.

Alleged pollution of the River Alyn from the Pont-y-Bodkin oil works was the subject of newspaper coverage during 1866

The plant and equipment of the works were sold off in 1870, following liquidation of the company.

Maps

Ordnance Survey maps reproduced by kind permission of the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland.

• (1) 6" OS map c.1872, shows presumed works unlabelled and presumably out of use.
• (2) 6" OS map c.1898 following clearance of the site
• (3) Google earth image c.2009, showing woodland covering much of the site of the former oil works

Recent Images

• (1) The bushes beyond the paddock mark the route of the Black Brook, the trees beyond are on the site of the oil works
• (2) Site of the Erith Brick, Tile & Terracotta Co.'s works
• (3) "Erith" brick on the brickworks site

References

For Sale, The PONTYBODKIN OIL WORKS. Plant and Cannel Pits in the centre of the celebrated Leeswood Cannel Field. The Mold and Tryddyn Railway runs through the works. There are about five acres of Freehold and Leasehold surface land and 140 acres more or less on mineral land.

The reviving prospects of the Mineral Oil Trade, and the position and railway facilities of this property are worthy of attention. Terms and particulars can be had from Messes R.J. NORTH, G.J. SIMPSON. 17, Pavement, Finsbury, London E.C.

The Wrexham Advertiser, 2nd October 1869.

The London, Leeswood, and Erith Mineral Oil Company, Limited (in liquidation). Sale of valuable OIL WORKS and COLLIERY, situated at PONT-Y- BODKIN. LEESWOOD, near Mold, Flint- shire, together with the Land, Plant, Machinery, and Utensils belonging thereto, in one Lot.

MESSRS CHURTON and ELPHICK respectfully, announce that they have received instructions to SELL by AUCTION, at the QUEEN HOTEL, City of CHESTER, in or about April, 1870, and subject to such conditions as shall then be produced : — All those valuable OIL WORKS and COLLIERY, extending in the whole to about four acres of laud, or thereabouts, together with the whole of the Erections, Plants, Machinery, loose utensils, and all other effects, on the premises, amongst which will be found two winding engines and boilers, donkey engine, railway rails, chairs, spikes, - fish plates, iron, steel, retorts, tanks, stills, condensers, furnaces. weighing machine, casks, bricks, pumps, and a variety of other effects, which will be more fully described in the particulars shortly to be issued. Also the Company's Interest in the Minerals under about 6.5 acres of land at Leeswood. The above property is well situated, and has sidings into the branch railway from the Mold and Chester railway. Mr William Davies, at the works, will show the property

Wrexham Advertiser, 26th March 1870.