During the early medieval period the lands of Worthenbury switched between the English and Welsh forces. It was thought to be part of Maelor Saesneg, an area se led by the Saxons and a focus for attacks against the nearby monastery at Bangor Isycoed during the 6th century. A wattle and daub church is known to have existed in the settlement in 544AD, dedicated to a missionary Deiniol, son of the First abbot of Bangor.
The settlement is recorded in the medieval Domesday Book of 1086 as Hurdingberie. Worthinbury and other variations appeared from the 14th century onwards, with the present name dating to 1527. Both medieval and post medieval ridge and furrow have been identifed in fields surrounding the village.
The early medieval church was re-built in brick and timber in 1557; the present day church, opposite the site was constructed in 1736-9 as a bequest of Thomas Puleston, a family who had resided in Worthenbury since the 13th century. It is considered to be “the best and most complete Georgian church in Wales”. The church dominates the northern zone of the conservation area, Grade I listed, it is built in red brick with sandstone dressing and a slate roof.
Little change was seen to the village during the 20th century, however, it saw a temporary rise in population during the 1940s as protected evacuees from Wirral and a group of Land Army Girls who helped feed the local communities.
Reference: Report of an Archaeological Watching Brief for Church View, Worthenbury, produced by Dee Archaeological Services in 2024, Report no: 24-1085.
RCAHMW, 2025.