Anglesey History
The Isle of Anglesey has for long played a pivotal role in Welsh history.
Time and time again the Island has attracted invaders intent on settling
in this fertile corner of Wales. Even the name Anglesey derives from
the Norse language - a legacy of Viking influence. All these people
have left their mark on the Island.
Anglesey boasts many archaeological relics of the prehistoric period.
There are superb 'Neolithic' burial chambers such as the famous
sites of Bryn Celli Ddu or Barclodiad y Gawres, with its marvellous
decorated stones. At Din Lligwy near Moelfre and at Ty Mawr near
South Stack you can still see the magnificent remains of 'Celtic
villages'.
In the Dark Ages Anglesey became the power base of the rulers of
the kingdom of Gwynedd. One of their royal courts, Llys Rhosyr,
has recently been discovered near the village of Newborough . At
Penmon you can see the beautiful Romanesque architecture of the
island's most complete medieval monastery. As the Age of the Princes
drew to a close King Edward I built a magnificent castle at Beaumaris.
You can also explore the atmospheric interiors of the Victorian
Gaol and Courthouse sited in this historic town.
The maritime museum in Holyhead and the Seawatch Centre at Moelfre
recall the close connection of the Island with the sea and, in particular
the numerous wrecks that litter its shores. Near the port of Amlwch
is the site of Parys Mountain, once the greatest copper mine in the
world. Its 'lunar' landscapes are unforgettable. Other ruins from
the industrial period are scattered across the island, such as the
atmospheric sites of Porth Llanlleiana and Porth Wen, sites that
were once home to a flourishing china clay and brick industry.
Plas Newydd near Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll is one of the finest houses
on the island - once home to the 1st Marquess of Anglesey. Every
part of the Island is rich in history and heritage. Not for nothing
is the Island known as Môn mam Cymru - Anglesey the mother
of Wales.
Anglesey also has the village with the longest place name in Britain:
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (click
here to hear it pronounced). The name, when translated into
English, means "The church of St. Mary in a hollow of white
hazel near a rapid whirlpool and near St. Tysilio's church by the
red cave". The name was actually coined in the nineteenth century
to attract tourists to the Island. It is abbreviated to Llanfairpwll
or Llanfair P.G. by the locals.
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