Anglesey Tourist Information Centre

Take Down. Filmed at South Stack! #Anglesey

Retweeted Countryman editor (@Countrymaned):
Fungi Foray at Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens #Wales, Sun 13 Sept http://t.co/ggVVy5MGcS #fungi @PlasCadnant http://t.co/oSHIL2S0di

Retweeted Amberley Publishing (@amberleybooks):
@AngleseyTIC Out now Anglesey Towns and Villages by Geraint Jones and Gwenllian Jones Rowlinsonh ttps://goo.gl/vu4aYp http://t.co/cGymURw3U2

Just a quick update on the update! Just to clarify the office will be closed from Tuesday 26th May. I also wanted to mention the fine volunteers at Beaumaris Tourist Information Point.

Good morning all!
There's loads going on this month, most of which you can see here!
If you know of an event on #Anglesey that we've missed out just message us or post the details on our wall and we'll spread the word!

Here are some wonderful vintage railway posters with images of Beaumaris Castle and the Britannia Bridge.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/…/look-bygon e-age-north-wales-89…

Do you know of the legend of the Witches of Llanddona?
At one time the district around Llanddona was known as ‘the land of witches’. Legend has it that centuries ago a boatload of strangers came ashore at Llanddona. There are several versions of the tale:
According to one they were survivors from a Spanish ship wrecked in a storm; another version explains that the (possibly Irish) strangers had been set adrift without oars and rudder as a punishment for wrong-doing.
... All the stories agree however that the people of Llanddona did not wish the newcomers to land until one of the strangers used witchcraft to cause a spring of fresh water to gush up through the salt sand. The spring is believed to be a well known today as Ffynnon Oer.
The local inhabitants were soon to regret the coming of the ‘witches’ as the called them. Many misfortunes were attributed to them and they were accused of casting spells on the animals in the various farms, or on the dairies, as a form of revenge.
It is also said that the men lived by smuggling and the women by begging and cursing. It was impossible to overcome these daring smugglers, for in their neckerchief was a fly, which, the moment the knot of their cravats was undone, flew right at the eye of their opponents and blinded them. Before this last remedy was resorted to, the men fought like lions and only when their strength failed them did their wives release their familiar spirit, the fly, to strike with blindness the defenders of the law.
There are dozens of stories about the Llanddona Witches. Bella Fawr (Big Bella) and Siani Bwt (Little Jeanne) were two of the most famous. Siani Bwt was apparently less than four feet high and, with two thumbs on her left hand; she had all the classic hallmarks of a witch!
See More

Anglesey made a significant contribution - both in terms of manpower and hardware - to the famous British Victory at Trafalgar that turned the tide of European History.
The Copper plates which protected the hull of Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory were mined at Parys Mountain.
55 out of the 700 Welshmen who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar came from Anglesey and three sailors from the port of Amlwch fought alongside Admiral Lord Nelson aboard the Victory during the battle of ...the Cape of Trafalgar on October 21st 1805.
One of Anglesey's little known gems is a smaller version of Nelson's column overlooking the straits. At 50ft high it was originally erected as a guide to sailors negotiating the dangerous waters of the straits.
See More

Beaumaris Castle was built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer the north of Wales after 1282. Work began in 1295 following the Madog ap Llywelyn uprising. A substantial workforce was employed in the initial years under the direction of James of St. George. Edward's invasion of Scotland soon diverted funding from the project and work stopped, only recommencing after an invasion scare in 1306. When work finally ceased around 1330 a total of £15,000 had been spent, a huge... sum for the period, but the castle remained incomplete.
Beaumaris Castle was taken by Welsh forces in 1403 during the Owain Glyndŵr rebellion, but recaptured by royal forces in 1405. Following the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the castle was held by forces loyal to Charles I, holding out until 1646 when it surrendered to the Parliamentary armies. Despite forming part of a local royalist rebellion in 1648 the castle escaped slighting and was garrisoned by Parliament, but fell into ruin around 1660, eventually forming part of a local stately home and park in the 19th century.
In the 21st century the ruined castle is managed by Cadw as a tourist attraction. Historian Arnold Taylor has described Beaumaris Castle as Britain's "most perfect example of symmetrical concentric planning". The fortification is built of local stone, with a moated outer ward guarded by twelve towers and two gatehouses, overlooked by an inner ward with two large, D-shaped gatehouses and six massive towers. The inner ward was designed to contain ranges of domestic buildings and accommodation able to support two major households. The south gate could be reached by ship, allowing the castle to be directly supplied by sea. UNESCO considers Beaumaris to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage site.
See More

Many Celtic saints came to Anglesey. This can be seen in the number of villages that begin with the prefix Llan and end with the name of a saint, for example, Llangwyllog, Llaneilian, Llanfwrog, Llanwenllwyfo. The list goes on. Two of the Island's most famous saints are St Seiriol and St Cybi. Seiriol established his church in the eastern end of the Island at Penmon and on Puffin Island, or Priestholm to give it the Viking name, or Ynys Seiriol as it is known in Welsh. Cybi,... on the other hand, went to the western end, and established his church within the walls of the Roman fort on Holy Island, or Caergybi (Holyhead) as it is known today. Both saints were the heads of important monasteries. Seiriol and Cybi decided that they should meet in order to discuss important religious questions, and decided upon the wells of Clorach near Llanerchymedd as their meeting place. This was roughly the halfway point between Ynys Seiriol and Caergybi and a convenient place to stop. Both men would start on their journey early in the morning and they aimed to reach Clorach by midday. Now, Seiriol travelled from east to west, and so in the morning had the sun to his back, Cybi on the other hand travelling west to east facing the rising sun. When they returned after concluding their meeting, it was afternoon. Thus Seiriol travelling east once again, had his back to the sun. Cybi going in the opposite direction had the full strength of the afternoon sun on his face. Thus Cybi became tanned, while Seiriol did not. They became known as Seiriol wyn (pale Seiriol) and Cybi Felyn (yellow or tanned Cybi).
Seiriol Wyn a Chybi Felyn— Mynych fyth y clywir sôn Am ddau sant y ddwy orynys Ar dueddau Môn.
Ynys Cybi'm Môr Iwerddon, Trosti hi'r â'r haul i lawr; Ynys Seiriol yn y dwyrain Tua thoriad gwawr.
Seiriol Wyn a Chybi Felyn— Cyfarfyddynt, fel mae'r sôn, Beunydd wrth ffynhonnau Clorach Yng nghanolbarth Môn.
Seiriol, pan gychwynnai'r bore, Cefnu wnâi ar haul y nef; Wrth ddychwelyd cefnai hefyd Ar ei belydr ef.
Haul y bore'n wyneb Cybi A dywynnai'n danbaid iawn; Yn ei wyneb y tywynnai Eilwaith haul prynhawn.
Wyneb Cybi droes yn felyn, Wyneb Seiriol daliai’n wyn; Dyna draetha’r cyfarwyddid Am y ddeusant hyn.
John Morris Jones
See More

Castell Aberlleiniog (Castle of the River Lleiniog) is a motte and bailey fortress near the Welsh village of Llangoed on the Isle of Anglesey, built between 1080 and 1099 by Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester. It is about two miles distant from Beaumaris Castle, and was built atop a very steep hill.
There are few historical documents that detail the events the castle has seen through its life, however some do survive, including a record of a siege in 1094 by Gruffydd ap Cy...nan. The siege was unsuccessful, though 124 Norman defenders died in the battle.
The original Norman timber structure is long gone, replaced by a stone structure at some point prior to the mid-17th century, when it was destroyed by Thomas Cheadle, the constable of Beaumaris. The site is currently being restored and is partially open to the public. The keep had broad ramparts fronted by a narrow wall rising to a parapet; each corner contained a round tower, the remains of which can still be seen.
The castle is owned by Menter Môn, and the project is administered by them, in partnership with Llangoed and Penmon Community Council, and with the advice of Coed Cymru.
The castle is open to the public all year round, and entry is free of charge.
See More