Borras

Borras ( _cy. Bwras) is a community in the Wrexham county borough in Wales. It is part of the larger area of Acton.

Early History

Although no human occupation sites have been found, the area of Borras has revealed some of the earliest traces of habitation in the area. A number of Mesolithic flint tools have been found adjacent to Borras Farm. A Neolithic Axe head was also found near Bryn-Gryfydd and a hoard of Bronze Age metalwork.

During the Middle Ages it is known that an extensive farmed rabbit warren was in existence in the area.

Borras Hall is an early 17th century former manor house. It is believed that it replaced an early 13th century house on the same site. In 1988 Madoc's lead seal was discovered at Burras Hall that dated to the 13th century and is believed to be the seal of the lords of Borras and Erlas who built "Plas ym Mwras" in about 1200. The seal was sent to Cardiff for verification and has never been seen since, on inquiring as to the whereabouts of the seal Cardiff stated that they only have a copy of the seal. The Hall was owned by the Brereton Family until 1789, when it was sold to a Mr Twigg for £40,000.00 and then later sold to Baron Kenyon for £24,000.00.

Nearby Borras Head House also dates to the 17th century and was also purchased by Lord Kenyon in 1803.

Airfield

During the period 1917 - 1920 fields at Borras Lodge were used by Nos. 4 and 51 Training Squadrons/Schools of the Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force based at Shotwick (later RAF Sealand) and Hooton Park. The same location was also used by the Lancashire Aero Club and the Liverpool and District Aero Club for air displays during the 1930s.

In the 1940's the area was again pressed into World War II service for training flights. Three grass runways of approximately 550-660 yards existed. The main period of construction at the site took place between December 1940 and June 1941. The Airfield was primarily built to house a night fighter squadron for the air defence of Liverpool and Manchester. In 1944 it was occupied by RAF. 21 Grp. AFU.

The airfield was closed after World War II and on 22nd October 1959 was sold to United Gravel Company a subsidiary of Alfred McAlpine. In the 1970's quarrying operations commenced in the area.

Between 1962 and 1992 there was a hardened nuclear bunker, built at Borras for No 17 Group Royal Observer Corps North Wales, who provided the field force in Western Area of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation and would have sounded the four minute warning alarm in the event of nuclear war and warned the population of Wrexham in the event of approaching radioactive fallout. [cite web |url=http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/roc/group_hq.html |title=UKWMO Group Controls|publisher=Subbrit.org.uk|accessdate=2008-03-17] The building was manned by up to 120 volunteers who trained on a weekly basis and wore a Royal Air Force style uniform. After the break up of the communist bloc in 1989, the Royal Observer Corps was disbanded between September 1991 and December 1995. However, the nuclear bunker still stands at Borras Park. Between the ROC vacating the premises in September 1991 and its new use as a recording studio around 1993, the building was under preparation for use as the Home Office North Wales Regional Government Headquarters (RGHQ) although it is unlikely it was ever actually activated as such, given the short timescale.

Disposal

The Royal Observer Corps nuclear bunker was purchased by R Jones of Tyn-Twll Farm in the early 1990s, and converted to a recording studio. [ [http://upia.moonfruit.com/subterraineanuk/4515907514 Information on bunker] ]

Golf Club

Borras is home to [http://www.wrexhamgolfclub.co.uk/index.php Wrexham Golf Club] .

References

External links

* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=3549028 photos of Borras and surrounding area on geograph]