The bridge must have been the scene of many a fierce fight when the marauding Welsh sought to cross to Farndon; sometimes also between the factions of the two towns, for though such near neighbours, the men of Farndon and Holt were frequently at loggerheads. In the Civil War, however, the bridge came into great prominence. Sir William Brereton forced his passage over it into Wales in November 1643 on his way to Hawarden. A few years ago letters from him bearing on the point were published in the Reports of the Historical Manuscript Commission. They show how the Royalists had made a tower and a drawbridge, and put strong gates on the bridge between Holt and Farndon; and these were so strong “that they and wee conceived it verrie difficulte, if not altogether ympossible, to make way for our passage over the bridge.” However, Sir William, having by a feint drawn off some of the Royalists, made a fierce attack on the bridge, cut the ropes of the drawbridge, forced open the gates, and gained possession of the bridge. Many of the Royalist troops retreated to Holt Castle, which was strongly fortified, but Sir William pushed on and captured Wrexham, and eventually, as stated in another paper in this volume, occupied Hawarden Castle. Two years later the Royalist cavalry, coming from Wales under the command of Sir Marmaduke Langdale, came over the bridge before the disastrous battle on Rowton Moor, and some few of those who escaped made use of the same way for their retreat. And during this anxious time, or at any rate a portion of it, the church at Farndon was turned into a garrison for soldiers, and naturally suffered in consequence. It was burnt by the Parliamentarians in 1645, and traces of this may still be seen, as also the marks of the shot and bullets which were discharged at it.