The parish is situated between Buckley and Mold in Flintshire. The parish covers most of Buckley itself (the rest of the town being in St. Matthew's Parish) and also the neighbouring townships of Argoed, Mynydd Isa, Padeswood and Llong.

 

Bistre Parish was founded in 1837, out of the neighbouring Parish of Mold; the Parish Church of Emmanuel  was built in 1842. The town grew into an important brick-making centre during the nineteenth century, and in 1892, to serve the expanding population, two daughter churches were established: All Saints in the eastern part, and St Cecilia's in the western part of the parish.