Cilcain

Village and community in Flintshire, Wales

Cilcain is a village and community, near Mold in Flintshire, north east Wales. The village has an industrial history and includes the Millennium Woods, a post office, a public house, a parish church, a primary school (Ysgol y Foel) and a village hall. Cilcain borders the parishes of Rhosesmor, Rhes y cae and Rhydymwyn. The community includes the village of Rhydymwyn. Cilcain every year has a Cilcain show. The Cilcain show happens at the village hall. There are usually fairs and a dog show. Also a junior and adults race either up Moel Famau or just up a little bit up the mountain.

The Welsh placename Cilcain, which has also in the past been spelled as Kilken and Cilcen, has been suggested to derive from cil meaning 'retreat' and cain meaning 'fair' or 'pleasant' in the Welsh language.

In the early years of Cilcain's existence it was noted as a place of retreat and was also locally famous for its regular village fairs, where a notable amount of alcohol was often consumed. Cilcain was also known for cockfighting, which took place on Sundays after the local church service.

The first recorded mention of the church at Cilcain dates from 1291. Cilcain is one of the "ancient parishes" of Flintshire. It originally comprised the seven townships of Cefn, Llan (or Tre'r Llan), Llystynhunydd (or Glust), Llys y Coed, Maes y Groes, Mechlas (or Dolfechlas), and Trellyniau. On 27 June 1848, the township of Trellyniau and part of the township of Llystynhunydd went to the new parish of Rhes y Cae. On 31 March 1865, the remainder of Llystynhunydd, and parts of the townships of Cefn and Mechlas, went to the new parish of Rhydymwyn.

Cilcain Community Council is divided into two wards, Cilcain and Rhydymwyn, each of which elects six councillors. The Cilcain and Nannerch communities make up the Cilcain electoral ward on Flintshire County Council, which elects one councillor. It had a population of 1,790 at the 2021 census. Caerwys is part of the Delyn constituency and North Wales region for the Senedd, and of the Delyn constituency for parliament.

The Millennium Woods were planted in 2000 through the 'Woods on your doorstep' scheme of the Woodland Trust. Many of the trees were planted by some of the students attending the local school, Ysgol y Foel, in that year. The official name is Coed y Felin ('Mill Woods'), named after the disused mill that now lies in ruins by the stream below.