Esclusham Bowling Club

What’s in a name?

The original name of the Club was Esclusham Below Bowling club.

A meeting of the Executive Committee of the East Denbighshire Amateur Bowling League was held at the Miner’s Institute, Wrexham on Wednesday 20 March 1933. Where Mr C.H.Newton, Gresford presided. Representatives of the various clubs which comprised the League in 1933 were present. A letter applying for membership was read out from the Esclusham Below Bowling Club. This matter was deferred for consideration to the annual meeting were it was passed that the Club could join the league.

Indeed the club accounts still refer to it as Esclusham Below Bowling Club in 1936. Although all League references refer to the Club as Esclusham.

The club was probably named after the parish of Esclusham Below in which it was situated.

In fact there were no prospects of having a bowling green until two or three members of Esclusham Parish Council got in touch with the Miner’s Welfare Fund, and a grant of £600 was received from them. Soon afterwards the arrangements were completed and the making of the green commenced.

This parish historically was an area of land below Offa’s Dyke. It is thought that the name Esclusham is half Welsh and half English. The first part of the name (Welsh) is represented by a large farm now called “Esless” but formerly “Esclus” possibly for “Ystlys” (a side or slope). Whereas “Ham” is the old English for homestead, hamlet, settlement etc. The name “Esclusham” was already well established as a settlement in 1391.