Jump to content

Anglesey

Coordinates:53°17′N4°20′W/ 53.283°N 4.333°W/53.283; -4.333
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other places with the same name, seeAnglesey (disambiguation)andYnys Môn (disambiguation).
"Môn" redirects here. For the radio station, seeMôn FM.

Isle of Anglesey
Ynys Môn(Welsh)
County
Left to right:
Flag
Arms of Isle of Anglesey County Council
Coat of arms
Motto:
Môn Mam Cymru
Sovereign StateUnited Kingdom
Constituent CountryWales
County CouncilIsle of Anglesey
Preserved CountyGwynedd
Admin HQLlangefni
Largest townHolyhead(county)Llangefni(island)
Government
• TypeIsle of Anglesey County Council
• ControlPlaid Cymru/Independent Coalition
•Member of ParliamentLlinos Medi,Plaid Cymru
•Member of SeneddRhun ap Iorwerth,PC
• Council LeaderCllrLlinos Medi Huws,PC
Area
• Total276 sq mi (714 km2)
• Rank9th
Population
(2022)
• Total69,049
• Rank20th
• Density250/sq mi (97/km2)
• Rank17th
• Ethnicity
98.1% White
Welsh language
• Rank2nd
• Speakers55.8%[1]
Geocode00NA (ONS)
W06000001 (GSS)
ISO 3166 codeGB-AGY
Websitewww.anglesey.gov.uk

Anglesey(/ˈæŋɡəlsiː/;Welsh:Ynys Môn[ˈənɨsˈmoːn]) is an island off the north-west coast ofWales.It forms the bulk of thecountyknown as theIsle of Anglesey,which also includesHoly Island(Ynys Gybi) and some islets andskerries.[2]The county bordersGwyneddacross theMenai Straitto the southeast, and is otherwise surrounded by theIrish Sea.Holyheadis the largest town, and the administrative centre isLlangefni.The county is part of thepreserved countyof Gwynedd.

The Isle of Anglesey is sparsely populated, with an area of 276 square miles (710 km2) and a population of 68,900.[3]After Holyhead (12,103),[4][failed verification]the largest settlements are Llangefni (5,500) andAmlwch(3,967). The economy of the county is mostly based on agriculture, energy, and tourism, the latter especially on the coast. Holyhead is also a major ferry port forDublin,Ireland.[5]The county has the second-highest percentage ofWelsh speakersin Wales, at 57.2%, and is considered aheartland of the language.[6]

The island of Anglesey, at 676 square kilometres (261 sq mi), is thelargest in Walesand theIrish Sea,and theseventh largest in Britain.The northern and eastern coasts of the island are rugged, and the southern and western coasts are generally gentler; the interior is gently undulating. In the north of the island isLlyn Alaw,a reservoir with an area of 1.4 square miles (4 km2).Holy Islandhas a similar landscape, with a rugged north and west coast and beaches to the east and south. The county is surrounded by smaller islands; several, includingSouth StackandPuffin Island,are home to seabird colonies. Large parts of the county's coastline have been designated anArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The county has many prehistoric monuments, such asBryn Celli Dduburial chamber. In the Middle Ages the area was part of theKingdom of Gwyneddand nativePrincipality of Wales,and the rulingHouse of Aberffrawmaintained courts (Welsh:llysoedd) atAberffrawandRhosyr.AfterEdward I'sconquestof Gwynedd he built thecastleatBeaumaris,which forms part of theCastles and Town Walls of King Edward in GwyneddWorld Heritage Site.TheMenai Straitto the mainland is spanned by theMenai Suspension Bridge,designed byThomas Telfordin 1826, and theBritannia Bridge,originally designed byRobert Stephensonin 1850.

Name[edit]

Hand-drawn map of Anglesey and Caernarfonshire by Christopher Saxton from 1578
Ordnance Survey map of Anglesey

The English name for Anglesey may be derived from theOld Norse;eitherǪngullsey"Hook Island"[7]orǪnglisey"Ǫngli's Island".[7][8]No record of such an Ǫngli survives,[9]but the place name was used byViking raidersas early as the 10th century and later adopted by the Normans during theirinvasions of Gwynedd.[10]The traditionalfolk etymologyreading the name as the "Island of theAngles(English) "[11][12]may account for its Norman use but has no merit,[8]as theAngles' name itselfis probably cognate with the shape of theAngelnpeninsula. All of them ultimately derive from the proposedProto-Indo-Europeanroot*ank-( "to flex, bend, angle" ).[13]Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and into the 20th, it was usually speltAngleseain documents,[14]a spelling that is still occasionally used today.

Ynys Môn,the island and county'sWelshname, first appeared in theLatinMonaof various Roman sources.[15][16][17]It was likewise known to theSaxonsasMonez.[18]TheBrittonicoriginal was in the past taken to have meant "Island of the Cow".[11][19]

The name is probably cognate with the Gaelic name of theIsle of Man,Mannin,[20](Manawin Welsh), usually derived from a Celtic word for 'mountain' (reflected in Welshmynydd,Bretonmenezand Scottish Gaelicmonadh),[21][20]from a Proto-Celtic*moniyos.

Poetic names for the island of Anglesey include theOld WelshYnys Dywyll(Shady or Dark Isle) for itsformer grovesandYnys y Cedairn(Isle of the Brave) for its royal courts;[12]Gerald of Wales'Môn Mam Cymru( "Môn, Mother of Wales" ) for its agricultural productivity;[22]andY fêl Ynys(Honey Isle).[23]

History[edit]

Prehistoric history[edit]

The history of the settlement of the local people of Anglesey starts in theMesolithicperiod. Anglesey and the UK were uninhabitable until after the previousice age.It was not until 12,000 years ago that the island ofGreat Britainbecame hospitable.[24]The oldest excavated sites on Anglesey includeTrwyn Du(Welsh:Black nose) at Aberffraw. The Mesolithic site located atAberffraw Bay(Porth Terfyn) was buried underneath a Bronze Age 'kerb cairn' which was constructedc. 2,000 BC.Thebowl barrow(kerb cairn) covered a material deposited from the early Mesolithic period; the archeological find dates to 7,000 BC.[25][26]After millennia ofhunter-gathercivilisation in theBritish Isles,the first villages were constructed from 4000 BC. Neolithic settlements were built in the form oflong houses,on Anglesey is one of the first villages in Wales, it was built atLlanfaethlu.[27]Also an example permanent settlement on Anglesey is of aBronze Agebuiltburial mound,Bryn Celli Ddu(English:Dark Grove Hill). The mound started as ahenge enclosurearound 3000 BC and was adapted several times over a millennium.[28][29]

Dolmenon Anglesey (Samuel Alken,1794).[30]
Bryn Celli Dduburial chamber, Anglesey.[28]

There are numerousmegalithicmonuments andmenhirsin the county, testifying to the presence of humans inprehistory.Plas Newyddis near one of 28cromlechsthat remain on uplands overlooking the sea. TheWelsh Triadsclaim that the island of Anglesey was once part of the mainland.[11]

Bronze Age to Roman times[edit]

See also:Bronze Age BritainandBritish Iron Age

After the Neolithic age, theBronze Agebegan (c. 2200 BC– 800 BC). Some sites were continually used for thousands of years from originalhengeenclosures, then during the Iron Age, and also some of these sites were later adapted byCeltsintohillfortsand finally were in use during the Roman period (c. 100 AD) as roundhouses.[24][31]Castell Bryn Gwyn(English:White hill castle,also calledBryn Beddau, or the "hill of graves") nearLlanidan,Anglesey is an example of a Neolithic site that became ahillfortthat was used until the Roman period by theOrdovices,the localtribewho were defeated in battle by a Roman legion (c. 78 AD).[32][33][34][35]Bronze Age monuments were also built throughout the British Isles. During this period, theMynydd Bachcairnin South-west Anglesey was being used. It is aBeaker periodprehistoric funerarymonument.[36][37]

During the Iron Age the Celts built dwellingshuts,also known asroundhouses.These were established near the previous settlements. Some huts with walled enclosures were discovered on the banks of the river (Welsh:afon) Gwna near. An example of a well-preserved hut circle is over theCymyran StraitonHoly Island.TheHolyhead Mountain Hut Circles(Welsh:Tŷ Mawr / Cytiau'r Gwyddelod,Big house / "Irishmen's Huts" ) were inhabited by ancient Celts and were first occupied before the Iron Age,c.  1000 BC.The Anglesey Iron Age began after 500 BC. Archeological research discoveredlimpetshells which were found from 200 BC on a wall at Tŷ Mawr andRoman-erapottery from the 3rd to 4th centuries AD. Some of these huts were still being used for agricultural purposes as late as the 6th century.[38][39][40][41]The first excavation of Ty Mawr was conducted byWilliam Owen StanleyofPenrhos, Anglesey(son ofBaron Stanley of Alderley).[42][43]

Modern Anglesey[edit]

Roman occupation[edit]

Historically, Anglesey has long been associated with thedruids.TheRoman conquest of Angleseybegan in 60 CE when the Roman generalGaius Suetonius Paulinus,determined to break the power of the druids, attacked the island using his amphibiousBataviancontingent as a surprisevanguardassault[44]and then destroyed the shrine and thenemeta(sacred groves). News ofBoudica's revolt reached him just after his victory, causing him to withdraw his army before consolidating his conquest. The island was finally brought into the Roman Empire byGnaeus Julius Agricola,theRoman governorof Britain, in AD 78. During the Roman occupation, the area was notable for the mining ofcopper.The foundations ofCaer Gybi,a fort inHolyhead,are Roman, and the present road from Holyhead toLlanfairpwllgwyngyllwas originally aRoman road.[11]The island was grouped byPtolemywithIreland( "Hibernia") rather than with Britain ("Albion").[45]

Kingdom of Gwynedd and House of Aberffraw[edit]

Beaumaris Castle,constructed after 1294

After theRoman departure from Britainin the early 5th century, pirates from Ireland colonised Anglesey and the nearbyLlŷn Peninsula.In response to this,Cunedda ap Edern,aGododdinwarlord from Scotland, came to the area and began to drive the Irish out. This was continued by his sonEinion Yrth ap Cuneddaand grandsonCadwallon Lawhir ap Einion;[46]the last Irish invaders were finally defeated in battle in 470.[citation needed]

During the 9th century, KingRhodri Mawrunified Wales and separated the country into at least 3 provinces between his sons. He gave Gwynedd to his son,Anarawd ap Rhodri,who founded themedievalWelshdynasty,TheHouse of Aberffrawon Anglesey, also his other sonCadellfoundedHouse of DinefwrinDeheubarth,and another son,MerfynruledPowys(where theHouse of Mathrafalemerged). The island had a good defensive position, and soAberffrawbecame the site of theroyal court(Welsh:Llys) of theKingdom of Gwynedd.Apart from devastatingDanishraids in 853 and 968 in Aberffraw, it remained the capital until the 13th, after Rhodri Mawr had moved hisfamily seatfromCaernarfonand built a royalpalaceat Aberffraw in 873.[47][48][49][50]This is when improvements to the English navy made the location indefensible. Anglesey was also briefly the most southerly possession of theNorwegian Empire.[citation needed]

After the Irish, the island was invaded byVikings— some raids were noted in famoussagas(seeMenai Strait History) such as theJómsvíkinga— and bySaxons,andNormans,before falling toEdward I of Englandin the 13th century. The connection with the Vikings can be seen in the name of the island. In ancient times it was called "Maenige" and received the name "Ongulsey" or Angelsoen, from where the current name originates.[49][51]

Anglesey (with Holy Island) is one of the 13historic counties of Wales.[52]In medieval times, before the conquest of Wales in 1283,Mônoften had periods of temporary independence, when frequently bequeathed to the heirs of kings as a sub-kingdom ofGwynedd,an example of this wasLlywelyn ap Iorwerth(Llywelyn I, the Great c. 1200s) who was styled thePrince of Aberffraw.[53]After theNorman invasion of Waleswas one of the last times this occurred a few years after 1171, after the death ofOwain Gwynedd,[54]when the island was inherited byRhodri ab Owain Gwynedd,[55]and between 1246 and about 1255 when it was granted toOwain Gochas his share of the kingdom.[56]After the conquest of Wales byEdward I,Anglesey became a county under the terms of theStatute of Rhuddlanof 1284.[57]Hitherto it had been divided into thecantrefiofAberffraw,RhosyrandCemaes.[58][59]

During 1294 as a rebellionof the former house of Aberffraw, PrinceMadog ap Llywelynhad attacked King Edward I's castles inNorth Wales.As a direct response,Beaumaris Castlewas constructed to control Edward's interests in Anglesey, but by the 1320s the build was abandoned and never complete. The castle was besieged byOwain Glyndŵrin the early 15th century. It was ruinous by 1609; however, the6th Viscount Bulkeleypurchased the castle from the Crown in 1807 and it has been open to the public under the guardianship ofthe Crownever since 1925.[60][61]

20th century[edit]

Plas Newydd,Anglesey constructed by 19th century
Shire Hall, Llangefni

TheShire Hallin Llangefni was completed in 1899.[62]During theFirst World War,the Presbyterian minister and celebrity preacherJohn Williamstoured the island as part of an effort to recruit young men as volunteers.[63]The island's location made it ideal for monitoringGerman U-Boatsin theIrish Sea,with half a dozen airships based atMona.[63]GermanPOWswere kept on the island.[63]By the end of the war, some 1,000 of the island's men had died on active service.[63]

In 1936 theNSPCCopened its first branch on Anglesey.[64]

During theSecond World War,Anglesey received ItalianPOWs.[63]The island was designated a reception zone, and was home toevacueechildren fromLiverpoolandManchester.[63]

In 1971, a 100,000 ton per annumaluminum smelterwas opened byRio Tinto Zinc CorporationandBritish Insulated Callender's CableswithKaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporationas a 30 per cent partner.[65]

In 1974, Anglesey became a district of the newcountyofGwynedd.TheLocal Government (Wales) Act 1994abolished the 1974 county and the five districts on 1 April 1996, and Anglesey became a separateunitary authority.In 2011, theWelsh Governmentappointed a panel of commissioners to administer the council, which meant the elected members were not in control. The commissioners remained until anelectionwas held in May 2013, restoring an elected Council. Before the period of direct administration, there had been a majority of independent councillors. Though members did not generally divide along party lines, these were organised into five non-partisan groups on the council, containing a mix of party and independent candidates. The position has been similar since the election, although theLabour Partyhas formed a governing coalition with the independents.

Brand new council offices were built at Llangefni in the 1990s for the newIsle of Anglesey County Council.[66]

Geography[edit]

Anglesey coast

Physical[edit]

Anglesey is a low-lying island with low hills spaced evenly over the north. The highest six areHolyhead Mountain,220 metres (720 ft);Mynydd Bodafon,178 metres (584 ft);Mynydd Eilian,177 metres (581 ft);Mynydd y Garn,170 metres (560 ft);Bwrdd Arthur,164 metres (538 ft); and Mynydd Llwydiarth, 158 metres (518 ft). To the south and south-east, the island is divided from the Welsh mainland by theMenai Strait,which at its narrowest point is about 250 metres (270 yd) wide. In all other directions the island is surrounded by theIrish Sea.At 676 km2(261 sq mi), it is the52nd largest islandof Europe and just five km2(1.9 sq mi) smaller than the main island ofSingapore.

There are a few natural lakes, mostly in the west, such asLlyn Llywenan,the largest on the island, Llyn Coron, and Cors Cerrig y Daran, but rivers are few and small. There are two large water supply reservoirs operated byWelsh Water.These areLlyn Alawto the north of the island andLlyn Cefniin the centre of the island, which is fed by the headwaters of theAfon Cefni.

The climate is humid (though less so than neighbouring mountainousGwynedd) and generally equable thanks to theGulf Stream.The land is of variable quality and has probably lost some fertility. Anglesey has the northernmostolivegrove in Europe and presumably in the world.[67]

Human[edit]

The coast of the Isle of Anglesey is more populous than the interior. The largestcommunityisHolyhead,which is located on Holy Island and had a population of 12,103 at the2021 United Kingdom census.It is followed byAmlwch(3,697),Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf(3,085), andMenai Bridge(3,046), all located on the coast of the island of Anglesey. The largest community in the interior of Anglesey isLlangefni(5,500), the county town; the next-largest isLlanfihangel Ysgeifiog(1,711).[68]

Beaumaris(Welsh:Biwmares) in the east featuresBeaumaris Castle,built byEdward Iduring hisBastidecampaign inNorth Wales.Beaumaris is ayachtingcentre, with boats moored in the bay or off Gallows Point. The village ofNewborough(Welsh:Niwbwrch), in the south, created when townsfolk of Llanfaes were relocated for the building of Beaumaris Castle, includes the site ofLlys Rhosyr,another court of medieval Welsh princes featuring one of the United Kingdom's oldest courtrooms. The centrally localtedLlangefniis the island's administrative centre. The town ofMenai Bridge(Welsh:Porthaethwy) in the south-east, expanded to accommodate workers and construction when the first bridge to the mainland was being built. Hitherto Porthaethwy had been one of the main ferry ports for the mainland. A short distance from the town liesBryn Celli Ddu,aStone Ageburial mound.

Nearby is the village with the longest name in Europe,Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch,andPlas Newydd,ancestral home of theMarquesses of Anglesey.The town ofAmlwchlies in the north-east of the island and was once largely industrialised, having grown in the 18th century to support a majorcopper-mining industry atParys Mountain.

Britannia Bridgefrom the east along theMenai Strait
Menai Bridge

Other settlements includeCemaes,Pentraeth,Gaerwen,Dwyran,Bodedern,MalltraethandRhosneigr.TheAnglesey Sea Zoois a local attraction offering looks at local marinewildlifefromcommon lobsterstocongers.All fish andcrustaceanson display are caught round the island and placed in habitat reconstructions. The zoo also breeds lobsters commercially for food andoystersfor pearls, both from local stocks. Sea salt (Halen Môn,from local sea water) is produced in a facility nearby, having formerly been made at the Sea Zoo site.

Coastal path[edit]

The coastline is classed as anArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty,with many sandy beaches, notably along its east coast between Beaumaris and Amlwch and west coast fromYnys LlanddwynthroughRhosneigrto the bays around Carmel Head. The north coast has sharp cliffs with small bays.[69]Anglesey Coastal Pathoutlining the island is 124 miles (200 km) long and touches 20 towns and villages. The starting point isSt Cybi's Church, Holyhead.[70]

Economy[edit]

Tourism is now the major economic activity. Agriculture comes second, with local dairies being some of the most productive in the region.[71][72]

Major industry is restricted to Holyhead (Caergybi), which until 30 September 2009 supported analuminium smelter,and theAmlwcharea, once a copper mining town. Nearby stoodWylfa Nuclear Power Stationand a formerbromineextraction plant. With construction starting in 1963, the two Wylfa reactors began producing power in 1971. One reactor was decommissioned in 2012, the other in 2015.

Anglesey has three wind farms on land.[73]There were plans to install tidal-flow turbines nearThe Skerriesoff the north coast,[74]and for a majorbiomassplant onHoly Island(Ynys Gybi). Developing such low-carbon-energy assets to their full potential forms part of the Anglesey Energy Island project.[75][76]

When the aluminium smelter closed in September 2009, it cut its workforce from 450 to 80, in a major blow to the island's economy, especially to Holyhead. TheRoyal Air ForcestationRAF Valley(Y Fali) holds the RAF Fast Jet Training School and 22 Sqn Search and Rescue Helicopters, both units providing employment to about 500 civilians. RAF Valley is now the 22 Sqn Search and Rescue headquarters.

The range of smaller industries is mostly in industrial[77]and business parks such asLlangefni[78]andGaerwen.[79]The island is on one of the main road routes from Britain to Ireland, viaferriesfromHolyheadon Holy Island toDún LaoghaireandDublinPort.

Abandoned nuclear plan[edit]

Plans were offered in 2013 byHorizon,a subsidiary ofHitachi,to start production in the 2020s.[80]Though enthusiastically endorsed by Anglesey Council and Welsh Assembly members, protesters raised doubts about its economic and safety claims,[81]and in January 2019 Hitachi announced it was putting development on hold.[82]

On 17 January 2019, Hitachi-Horizon Nuclear Power announced it was abandoning plans to build a nuclear plant on the Wylfa Newydd site in Anglesey. There had been concern that the start might have involved too much public expenditure, but Hitachi-Horizon say the decision to scrap has cost the company over £2 billion.[83][84][85][86]

Ecology and conservation[edit]

Much of Anglesey is used for relatively intensive cattle and sheep farming, but several importantwetlandsites have protected status and the lakes all have significant ecological interest, including a wide range of aquatic and semi-aquatic bird species. In the west, theMalltraeth Marshesare believed to support an occasional visitingbittern,and the nearby estuary of theAfon Cefnihas a bird population made famous internationally by the paintings ofCharles Tunnicliffe,who lived and died atMalltraethon the Cefni estuary. TheRAFairstrip at Mona is a nesting site forskylarks.The sheer cliff faces atSouth StacknearHolyheadprovide nesting sites for large numbers ofauks,includingpuffins,razorbillsandguillemots,along withchoughsandperegrine falcons.Anglesey holds several tern species, including theroseate ternon three breeding sites – seeAnglesey tern colonies.

There are marked occurrences of theJuncus subnodulosus–Cirsium palustrefen-meadowplant associationmarked by hydrophilic grasses, sedges and forbs.[87]

Anglesey supports two of the UK's remnant colonies ofred squirrels,atPentraethandNewborough.[88][89]

Almost the whole coastline of Anglesey is designated as anArea of Outstandng Natural Beauty(AONB) to protect the aesthetic appeal and variety of the island's coastal landscape and habitats from inappropriate development. The coastal zone of Anglesey was classed as an AONB in 1966 and confirmed as such in 1967. The AONB is predominantly coastal, covering most of Anglesey's 125 miles (201 km) coastline, but includes Holyhead Mountain and Mynydd Bodafon. Large areas of other land protected by the AONB form the backdrop to the coast. The AONB is about 221 sq. m (85 sq mi) and is the largest in Wales, covering a third of the island.[90]

A number of Anglesey habitats gain still greater protection through UK and European designations of their nature conservation value. These include:

  • 6 candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSACs)
  • 4 Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
  • 1 National Nature Reserve
  • 26 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
  • 52 Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs)

These support a variety of wildlife, such asharbour porpoisesandmarsh fritillary.

The AONB takes in three sections of open, undeveloped coastline designated as Heritage Coast. These non-statutory designations complement the AONB and cover about 31 miles (50 km) of the coastline. The sections are:

  1. North Anglesey 28.6 km (17.8 mi)
  2. Holyhead Mountain 12.9 km (8.0 mi)
  3. Aberffraw Bay 7.7 km (4.8 mi)

Popular recreations include sailing, angling, cycling, walking, wind surfing and jet skiing. They place pressures and demands on the AONB, while stoking the local economy.[91]

Culture[edit]

Anglesey hosted theNational Eisteddfodin 1957, 1983, 1999, and 2017.[92]

It belongs to theInternational Island Games Association.Anglesey's biggest successes were at the1997 Island GamesinJersey,(11th in the medals table, with two gold, three silver and nine bronze medals) and the2005 Island Gamesin theShetland Islands,(again 11th, with 4 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze).

The annual Anglesey Show is held on the second Tuesday and Wednesday of August. Farmers from around the country compete in livestock–rearing contests, including sheep and cattle. Other events have included theChannel 4archaeological television programmeTime Team(series 14), transmitted on 4 February 2007, and Gottwood, an electronic music and arts festival held each summer at the Carreglwyd estate.

Capital Cymru,a commercialcontemporary hit radiostation, also coversGwynedd.Môn FM,a volunteer community radio station, broadcasts from the county town, Llangefni.

In 2017 filming took place for theNetflixTV seriesFree Rein.Scenes were used in all three series. Locations includedNewborough WarrenandBeaumaris Pier.[93]In 2018, theBBCbegan a three-part series entitledAnglesey: Island Lives,detailing the lives of several residents of the island. In the first episode, Kris Hughes, a noted companion of the Druid community and theAnglesey Druid Order,was followed as the order marked the Summer Solstice.[94]

Welsh language[edit]

Anglesey is a stronghold of theWelsh language.According to the 2011 census it was the local authority with the second highest proportion of Welsh speakers. The earlier percentages were these:

  • 1901: 91%[95]
  • 1911: 89%[95]
  • 1921: 88%
  • 1931: 87%
  • 1951: 80%[96]
  • 1961: 75%
  • 1971: 66%
  • 1981: 61%
  • 1991: 62%
  • 2001: 60%
  • 2011: 57%
  • 2021: 55%

Today, Welsh is less widely used, but remains the dominant language in some areas, particularly in the centre, includingLlangefniand some parts of the south coast. The island's five secondary schools vary widely in the proportions of their pupils from predominantly Welsh-speaking homes, and in those who can speak Welsh:

Geology[edit]

Main article:Geology of Anglesey

The geology of Anglesey is complex and frequently targeted for geologyfield tripsby schools and colleges. Younger strata in Anglesey rest upon a foundation of oldPrecambrianrocks that appear at the surface in four areas:

  1. a western region includingHolyheadandLlanfaethlu[14]
  2. a central area aboutAberffrawandTrefdraeth[14]
  3. an eastern region which includesNewborough,[14]GaerwenandPentraeth
  4. a coastal region atGlyn GarthbetweenMenai BridgeandBeaumaris[14]

These rocks areschistsandphyllites,often contorted and disturbed. The general line of strike of the formations in the island is from north-east to south-west.[11]A belt ofgranitic rockslies just north-west of the central Precambrian mass, reaching fromLlanfaelognear the coast to the vicinity ofLlanerchymedd.Between this granite and the Precambrian of Holyhead is a narrow tract ofOrdovicianslates and grits with Llandovery beds in places, spreading out in the north of the island betweenDulas Bayand Carmel Point.[99]A small patch of Ordovician strata lies on the northern side of Beaumaris. In parts, these Ordovician rocks are much folded, crushed and metamorphosed, and associated with schists and altered volcanic rocks which are probably Precambrian. Between the eastern and central Precambrian massesCarboniferousrocks are found.Carboniferous Limestoneoccupies a broad area south ofLligwy Bayand Pentraeth, and sends a narrow spur in south-westwards byLlangefnitoMalltraeth Sands.It is underlain on the north-west by a red basement conglomerate and yellowsandstone(sometimes considered ofOld Red Sandstoneage). Limestone occurs again on the north coast aroundLlanfihangelandLlangoed;and in the south-west round Llanidan near theMenai Strait.Puffin Islandis made of Carboniferous Limestone.Malltraeth Marshis occupied byCoal Measures,and a small patch of the same formation appears near Tal-y-foel Ferry on the Menai Strait. A patch ofrhyolitic/felsiticrocks formsParys Mountain,where copper and iron ochre have been worked.Serpentine(Mona Marble) is found nearLlanfair-yn-Neubwlland upon the opposite shore in Holyhead.[100]Anglesey is the only onshore part of the UK to have sediments dated to the EarlyMiddle Miocene(?Langhian).[101]

Under the nameGeoMôn,affirming its extraordinary geological heritage, the island gained membership of theEuropean Geoparks Networkin spring 2009.[102]and theGlobal Geoparks Networkin September 2010.

Trwyn Du Lighthouse
Ynys Llanddwyn,old lighthouse withSnowdoniain background.
South Stack Lighthouse

Landmarks[edit]

Notable people[edit]

Born in Anglesey[edit]

Lived in Anglesey[edit]

Schools[edit]

Main article:List of schools in Anglesey

Secondary schools:

There are 50 primary, all co-educational day schools.[104]

Transport[edit]

The A55 North Wales Expressway on Anglesey

Anglesey is linked to the mainland by theBritannia Bridge,carrying theA55fromHolyhead,and theMenai Suspension Bridge,carrying theA5 trunk road.TheA5025round the northern edge of Anglesey and theA4080round the southern edge form a ring.

The six railway stations areHolyhead,Valley,Rhosneigr,Ty Croes,BodorganandLlanfairpwll.All are on theNorth Wales Coast Line,with services operated byAvanti West CoasttoLondon Euston,and byTransport for Wales RailtoChester,Manchester Piccadilly,Birmingham New StreetandCardiff Central.Historically the island was also served by theAnglesey Central Railwaywhich ran fromGaerwentoAmlwch,and theRed Wharf Bay branch linebetweenHolland Arms railway stationandRed Wharf Bay.

Anglesey Airport,until 2020, had a twice-daily scheduled service toCardiff Airport.The route was subsidised by theWelsh governmentand suspended due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.After a 2022 review, the Welsh government announced that it would not reinstate the flights;[105]travel betweenCardiffand Anglesey now takes over four hours by road or rail.

The ferry port of Holyhead handles over two million passengers a year.Stena LineandIrish Ferriessail toDublin(previously toDún Laoghaire), forming the main surfacetransportlink from central and northern England and Wales to Ireland.

Sport and leisure[edit]

Anglesey is independently represented in theIsland Games(asYnys Môn). The team finished joint 17th in the2009 Gameshosted byÅland,[106]winning medals ingymnastics,sailing,andshooting.[107]

Anglesey made an unsuccessful bid for the 2009 games, led by Ynys Môn MPAlbert Owen,in the hope of more than £3m of spending if it had hosted the event. However, Anglesey lacks two needful facilities: a six-lane competition swimming pool and an athletics track.[108]

Several precursors to the modern football codes were popular in Anglesey. They had few rules and were quite violent. Rhys Cox at the turn of the 18th century described a game inLlandryganending with "numbers of players... left here and there on the road, some having limbs broken in the struggle, others severely injured, and some carried on biers to be buried in the churchyard nearest to where they had been mortally injured." William Bulkeley, in his April 1734 diary, records that the violence of such games left no hard feelings, with both sides parting "as good friends as they came, after they had spent half an hour together cherishing their spirits with a cup of ale... having finished Easter Holydays innocently and merrily."[109]

Association football[edit]

This arrived in the 1870s and met with local resistance for its perceived associations with drunkenness and rowdiness and the lower classes. One critic called it an "un-Christian practice". An Anglesey League of teams fromAmlwch,Beaumaris,Holyhead,Menai Bridge,Llandegfan,andLlangefniwas formed in the 1895–96 season.[110]This gave way in 2020 to theNorth Wales Coast West Football League.

TheYnys Mônfootball team represents Anglesey at the biannualIsland Games,winning gold in 1999. In 2018, the island was chosen to host the2019 Inter Games Football Tournament,where the men's team won gold and the women's team won silver.

For theaborted 2020–21 season,Llangefni TownandHolyhead Hotspurwere due to play in theCymru Northleague, the second tier of theWelsh football league system,after winning theWelsh Alliance Leaguetwo years before. There were due to be nine Anglesey sides in the same season's fourth tierNorth Wales Coast West Football LeaguePremier Division:Aberffraw,Amlwch Town,Bodedern Athletic,Bro Goronwy, Gaerwen,Gwalchmai,Menai Bridge Tigers, Pentraeth and Trearddur Bay Bulls. There are a further nine teams in Division One.

Rugby Union[edit]

Llangefni RFCis the island's highest competing team in theWRU Division One North.Llangoedhosts an annualrugby sevenscontest. Touring sides have included Manhattan RFC.

Anglesey Hunt[edit]

Anglesey Hunt, formed in 1757, was the second oldestfox huntingassociation in Wales after Tivyside Hunt in Cardiganshire.[111]

Athletics[edit]

Every September the Anglesey Festival of Running includes a marathon, a half-marathon, 10-km and 5–km races, and children's contests. Its slogan isRun the Island.There are at present no 400-metre, all-weather, synthetictrackson the island, the nearest being betweenBangorand theBritannia Bridgeon the mainland.

Motorsport[edit]

TheAnglesey Circuit(Welsh: Trac Môn) is a licensed MSA and ACU championship racing circuit that opened in 1997. It hosts many events all year round and is a popular track.

Cricket[edit]

The Beaumaris Cricket Club formed in 1858. Clubs atHolyhead,AmlwchandLlangefniformed in the following decade, but not until the 1880s was the sport popular outside the upper classes.BodedernCricket Club was formed in 1947.[110]

Sailing[edit]

The Royal Anglesey Yacht Club hosts the annual Menai Strait Regatta.

Swimming[edit]

The Menai Strait hosts two annual open-water contests: the Menai Strait Swim from Foel to Caernarfon (1 mile), and the Pier to Pier Open Water Swim, betweenBeaumarisandGarth Pier,Bangor. There is a 25-metre pool at Plas Arthur Leisure Centre inLlangefni.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^"How life has changed on Isle of Anglesey: Census 2021".
  2. ^"Sir Ynys Mon – Isle of Anglesey".Ordnance Survey.Retrieved29 November2019.
  3. ^"How life has changed on Isle of Anglesey: Census 2021".Office for National Statistics.Retrieved27 November2023.
  4. ^"Build a custom area profile - Census 2021, ONS".ons.gov.uk.Retrieved27 November2023.
  5. ^C. Michael Hogan (2011)."Irish Sea".In P. Saundry; C. Cleveland (eds.).Encyclopedia of Earth.Washington, D. C.:National Council for Science and the Environment.
  6. ^"The Welsh language on Anglesey".anglesey.gov.wales.Retrieved27 November2023.
  7. ^abLena Peterson; et al. (May 2001),Nordiskt runnamnslexikon[Dictionary of Names from Runic Inscriptions](PDF),p. 116, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 26 April 2012,retrieved6 June2012
  8. ^abAdrian Room (2003).Placenames of the World.McFarland. p. 30.ISBN9780786418145.Retrieved6 February2013.
  9. ^Warren Kovach."Anglesey, Wales".Retrieved19 October2012.
  10. ^John Davies.A History of Wales.pp. 98–99.
  11. ^abcdeChisholm 1911,p. 18.
  12. ^ab"Anglesey".The London encyclopaedia, or, Universal dictionary of science, art, literature, and practical mechanics, by the orig. Ed. Of the Encyclopaedia metropolitana [T. Curtis].London Encyclopaedia.London: Tegg. 1839.Retrieved6 February2013.
  13. ^University of Texas at Austin's Linguistics Research Center (17 May 2011)."Proto-Indo-European Etyma 9.14: Physical Acts & Materials: to Bend".Archived fromthe originalon 8 March 2014.Retrieved6 February2013.
  14. ^abcdeChisholm 1911,p. 17.
  15. ^Tacitus,"XIV.29",Annals,retrieved6 April2013andAgricola,XIV.14&18.
  16. ^Pliny,"IV.30.",Natural History,retrieved6 April2013
  17. ^Cassius Dio.Roman History.p. 62 – viaProject Gutenberg.
  18. ^"Wales. Anglesea".The Present State of the British Empire in Europe, America, Africa, and Asia.London: Griffith. 1768.
  19. ^Davies, Edward (1809).The Mythology and Rites of the British Druids.London: Booth. p. 177.Retrieved6 February2013.
  20. ^abKoch, John T. (2006). Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 676 & 679. ISBN 978-1-85109-440-0
  21. ^Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch: Record number 1277 (Root / lemma: men-1)
  22. ^"Local Food Heroes on Anglesey".greentraveller.co.uk.18 April 2016.Retrieved29 June2020.
  23. ^"What was the ancient Roman name for Anglesey?".AnswersToAll.Retrieved27 April2021.
  24. ^ab"Prehistoric Wales".cadw.gov.wales.Retrieved28 August2023.
  25. ^"Scheduled Monuments- Full Report".cadwpublilc-api.azurewebsites.net.Retrieved29 August2023.
  26. ^"Aberffraw to port Cwyfan, Anglesey"(PDF).walescostalpath.gov.uk.
  27. ^"Neolithic houses from Llanfaethlu, Anglesey"(PDF).prehistorysociety.org.Retrieved29 August2023.
  28. ^ab"Bryn Celli Ddu".cadw.gov.wales.
  29. ^"Timeline in Anglesey".anglesey.info.Retrieved28 August2023.
  30. ^"Print".britishmuseum.org.Retrieved23 August2023.
  31. ^"Castell Bryn Gwyn".heritage.directory.Retrieved29 August2023.
  32. ^"Llanidan, Alleged site of Romano-British Battle (404297)".Coflein.RCAHMW.
  33. ^"Castell Bryn Gwyn, Neolithic Henge and Later Ringwork (93836)".Coflein.RCAHMW.
  34. ^"Gnaeus Julius Agricola Governor of Britannia".roman-britain.co.uk.Retrieved23 August2023.
  35. ^"Llanidan".genuki.org.uk.Retrieved28 August2023.
  36. ^"Mynydd Bach Cairn (302343)".Coflein.RCAHMW.
  37. ^"Mynydd Bach round cairn".ancientmonuments.co.uk.Retrieved28 August2023.
  38. ^2 RCAHMW, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Anglesey,p. LXXX, 2, atGoogle Books
  39. ^"Holyhead Mountain Hut Circles".cadw.gov.wales.Retrieved28 August2023.
  40. ^"Ty Mawr Circle Huts".anglesey-history.co.uk.Retrieved29 August2023.
  41. ^"Cytiau'r Gwyddelod, Holyhead Mountain Settlement Complex, South-West Area (93837)".Coflein.RCAHMW.
  42. ^"William Owen Stanley".britishmuseum.org.Retrieved29 August2023.
  43. ^W. O. Stanley(1869)."Ancient Circular Habitations at Tŷ Mawr, Holyhead Island, with Notices of other remains there".The Archaeological Journal.26.Longmans,Green & Co.: 301–322.doi:10.5284/1067327.Retrieved8 December2008.Royal Archaeological Institute
  44. ^Tacitus Agricola 18.3–5.
  45. ^Ptolemy,Geog.,Bk. 2, Ch. 1 & 2
  46. ^"CUNEDDA WLEDIG (fl. 450?), British prince".Dictionary of Welsh Biography.National Library of Wales.
  47. ^"RHODRI MAWR ('the Great') (died 877), king of Gwynedd, Powys, and Deheubarth".Dictionary of Welsh Biography.National Library of Wales.
  48. ^"Rhodri Mawr".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  49. ^abRedknap, Mark (31 October 2008). "29". In Brink, Stefan; Price, Neil (eds.).The Vikings in Wales from: The Viking World.Routledge.pp. 401–404.doi:10.4324/9780203412770.ISBN9781134318261.Retrieved28 August2023.
  50. ^A history of the island of Anglesey,p. 60-61, atGoogle Books
  51. ^Worsae, Jens Jacob Asmussen (1852).An Account of the Danes and Norwegians in England, Scotland, and Ireland.John Murray, Albemarle Street. p. 8.ISBN9781646796403.Retrieved12 October2022.
  52. ^"Saxton's County Maps of Wales".library.wales.Retrieved20 September2023.
  53. ^"Llywelyn ab Iorwerth".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  54. ^"OWAIN GWYNEDD (c. 1100 - 1170), king of Gwynedd".Dictionary of Welsh Biography.National Library of Wales.
  55. ^"Rhodri ab Owain".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  56. ^"OWAIN ap GRUFFYDD, or OWAIN GOCH, (fl. 1260), a prince of Gwynedd".Dictionary of Welsh Biography.National Library of Wales.
  57. ^Tout, Thomas Frederick(1911)."Edward I.".InChisholm, Hugh(ed.).Encyclopædia Britannica(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  58. ^"Mapping the Historic Boundaries of Wales: Commotes and Cantrefs".rcahmw.gov.uk.Retrieved20 September2023.
  59. ^"Aberffraw (32986)".Coflein.RCAHMW.
  60. ^Cadw."Beaumaris castle (Grade I) (5574)".National Historic Assets of Wales.
  61. ^"Madog ap Llyweln rebel of 1294".Dictionary of Welsh Biography.National Library of Wales.
  62. ^Cadw."Shire Hall (5752)".National Historic Assets of Wales.Retrieved15 April2020.
  63. ^abcdefDevine, Darren (15 February 2012)."Anglesey during the First World War and Second World War".walesonline.Retrieved5 March2018.
  64. ^A Years' Work of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Annual Report for 1936-1937, adopted by the Council and Corporation, May 28, 1937,London, p. 12.
  65. ^Lee, John M. (29 May 1971)."British Aluminum Debut Faces World Glut".The New York Times Company.
  66. ^Jones, Geraint; Rowlinson, Gwenllian Jones (2015). "Llangefni".Anglesey Towns & Villages(Internet ed.). Amberley Publishing.ISBN978-1445651538.Retrieved2 January2021.
  67. ^"First Welsh olive grove planted on Anglesey".WalesOnline.30 April 2007.Retrieved9 May2013.
  68. ^"PP002 - Sex - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics".nomisweb.co.uk.Retrieved27 November2023.
  69. ^"40 years of outstanding natural beauty".Welsh Government.13 December 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2006.Retrieved9 May2013.
  70. ^"Visit Anglesey – Home".Visit Anglesey.Retrieved14 April2018.
  71. ^"Anglesey well being assessment"(PDF).llesiantgwyneddamon.org/en/.
  72. ^"Dairy farms have important role to play when it comes to sustainable food production, says Anglesey dairy farmer".fun.org.uk.Retrieved19 October2021.
  73. ^"Anglesey Wind Farm, Wind Energy for the future".anglesey-today.Retrieved3 September2023.
  74. ^SeaGen Walesaccessed 15 April 2014.
  75. ^Anglesey Today: Energyaccessed 15 April 2014
  76. ^"Anglesey Energy Island Jobs Potential".anglesey-today.Retrieved3 September2023.
  77. ^"Directory".ManufacturingNorthWales.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 25 October 2021.Retrieved25 October2021.
  78. ^"Anglesey business centre".anglesey.gov.uk.
  79. ^"Map of Gaerwen Uchaf".gaerwen.cyclex-uk.co.uk.
  80. ^Damian Carrington (4 December 2013)."Renewables industry welcomes reduced subsidies for onshore windfarms".The Guardian.Retrieved2 February2015.
  81. ^Anglesey protest over plans for new nuclear power plantBBC News, 30 March 2014
  82. ^"Hitachi's Wylfa nuclear project pause 'tremendous blow'".BBC News.17 January 2019.Retrieved18 January2019.
  83. ^Vaughan, Adam (17 January 2019)."Hitachi scraps £16bn nuclear power station in Wales".The Guardian.
  84. ^"Hitachi-Horizon Nuclear Power Retrieved 3 May 2018".Archived fromthe originalon 12 June 2018.Retrieved3 May2018.
  85. ^Vaughan, Adam (9 April 2018)."Plans for Welsh nuclear power plant delayed by concerns over seabirds".The Guardian.
  86. ^"UK and Japan look at public finance for Wylfa nuclear plant".Financial Times.16 January 2018.
  87. ^*C. Michael Hogan. 2009.Marsh Thistle: Cirsium palustre,GlobalTwitcher, ed. N. StrömbergArchived2012-12-13 at theWayback Machine
  88. ^"Home – Squirrels Map".Squirrels Map.Retrieved2 February2015.
  89. ^"Wildlife Highlights".visitanglesey.co.uk.
  90. ^"Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)".A Geo-portal for Wales.
  91. ^"Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty".Pixaerial: North Wales from the Air.Archivedfrom the original on 18 February 2007.Retrieved21 February2006.
  92. ^"Past locations".National Eisteddfod.Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2017.
  93. ^"Everything you need to know about Free Rein - the Netflix drama being filmed in North Wales".27 September 2018.Retrieved22 April2021.
  94. ^BBC One site. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  95. ^ab"Language spoken in Wales, 1911".histpop.org.p. iv.Retrieved14 April2018.
  96. ^"Welsh Language and Culture"(PDF).Gwynedd Council.
  97. ^"Linguistic progression and standards of Welsh in ten bilingual schools".Estyn government. November 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 1 December 2017.Retrieved14 April2018.
  98. ^"Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern Estyn Report 2014"(PDF).Estyn.Retrieved28 October2016.[permanent dead link]
  99. ^"Slate mining on Anglesey".geomon.co.uk.
  100. ^Chisholm 1911,pp. 17–18.
  101. ^Pound, Matthew J.; McCoy, Jessica (15 April 2021)."Palaeoclimate reconstruction and age assessment of the Miocene flora from the Trwyn y Parc solution pipe complex of Anglesey, Wales, UK"(PDF).Palynology.45(4): 697–703.Bibcode:2021Paly...45..697P.doi:10.1080/01916122.2021.1916636.S2CID234861204.
  102. ^"GeoMôn – Anglesey Geopark".Retrieved2 February2015.
  103. ^"Stone Science Museum - Fossils & Dinosaurs - Anglesey North Wales".Stone Science Museum Anglesey.
  104. ^"Isle of Anglesey County Council, Serving Anglesey".Archived fromthe originalon 24 May 2011.
  105. ^"Cardiff-Anglesey air route scrapped by the Welsh Government".8 June 2022.
  106. ^"NatWest Island Games XIII – Medal Table".Retrieved28 August2010.
  107. ^"NatWest Island Games XIII – Ynys Môn Medal Winners".Retrieved28 August2010.
  108. ^Clark, Rhodri."Out of the running for island 'Olympics'".Western Mail.Retrieved30 August2010.
  109. ^ETBRS (2005b).
  110. ^abPretty (2005).
  111. ^ETBRS (2005a).

References[edit]

  • Lile, Emma (2005). "Fox Hunting (Wales)". In Collins, Tony; Martin, John; Vamplew, Wray (eds.).Encyclopedia of Traditional British Rural Sports.Sports Reference series. Routledge. p. 125.ISBN978-0-415-35224-6.
  • Lile, Emma (2005), "Football (Wales)", in Collins, Tony; Martin, John; Vamplew, Wray (eds.),Encyclopedia of Traditional British Rural Sports,Sports Reference series, Routledge, pp. 120–121,ISBN978-0-415-35224-6
  • Pretty, David A. (2005),Anglesey: The Concise History,Vol. 1,Histories of Wales, University of Wales Press, p. 111,ISBN978-0708319437

Attribution

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toAnglesey.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forAnglesey.

53°17′N4°20′W/ 53.283°N 4.333°W/53.283; -4.333

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anglesey&oldid=1234859647"