Overton-on-Dee
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The main street of Overton-on-Dee |
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Overton-on-Dee shown within Wrexham | |
Population | 1,382 (2011) |
OS grid reference | SJ372417 |
Community |
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Principal area | |
Ceremonial county | |
Country | Wales |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | WREXHAM |
Postcode district | LL13 |
Dialling code | 01978 |
Police | North Wales |
Fire | North Wales |
Ambulance | Welsh |
EU Parliament | Wales |
UK Parliament | |
Welsh Assembly | |
Overton-on-Dee (Welsh: Owrtyn) is a large village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough near the Welsh-English border. It is situated on the edge of an escarpment that winds its way around the course of the River Dee, from which Overton-on-Dee derives its name.
The community of Overton, which also includes the village of Lightwood Green and a number of small hamlets, had a total population of 1,276 at the 2001 census, increasing to 1,382 at the 2011 Census.
Overton-on-Dee is 7 miles (11 km) from Wrexham and exactly 22 miles (35 km) from both Chester and Shrewsbury. Its neighbouring villages are Bangor-on-Dee and Penley whilst the small towns of Ellesmere and Ruabon are only a short distance away.
The hamlet of Overton Bridge is a distinct settlement west of the village at grid reference SJ356426 above the Dee and the road bridge that carries the A528 road across the river.
One of Overton's earliest appearances in history was as one of the first targets of the revolt of 1294–95, led by Madog ap Llywelyn against the forces of the English King Edward I.
The village is situated in an exclave of the traditional county of Flintshire known as Maelor Saesneg (English: "English Maelor"), sometimes called "Flintshire Detached", and was the administrative centre of that part of the administrative county between 1889 and 1974. Between 1974 and 1996 Overton was administered as part of the short-lived county of Clwyd. Strangely, the community (parish) and county boundary between it and (in historic Denbighshire) is, in part, on the west side of the river due to oxbow formation in the river. It is now in Wrexham borough.