Llay first appears in mediaeval records as a hamlet - a small settlement without a church - of the township and manor of Burton. It later formed an outlying part of the parish of Gresford, but the relatively late growth of the village is shown by the fact that the first church service was not held there until 1916, and its church was not completed until 1925. Llay was eventually made a separate parish in its own right in 1944.
St Francis of Assis is one of 4 churches in Llay.
Much of the growth of the village is connected with the development of coal mines, particularly the Llay Main Colliery. It was first established by the industrialist Sir Arthur Markham in 1913, but sinking of the shafts was interrupted by World War I and by Markham's death in 1916.The shafts were eventually completed in 1921, and coal production started in 1923. The colliery had a reputation as a well-run, modern pit with a relatively satisfied workforce, and by the 1930s was employing more than 3000 men, 450 families being installed in new housing schemes in Llay.
If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first at churchmicro@gmail.com so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication. There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list”