Amlwch
Encyclopedia
Amlwch is the most northerly town in Wales
. It is situated on the north coast of the Isle of Anglesey
, on the A5025
which connects it to Holyhead
and to Menai Bridge
. The town has no beach, but it has impressive coastal cliffs. Tourism is an important element of the local economy. At one time it was a busy port, with boats sailing to the Isle of Man
and to Liverpool
. A number of the houses date from the 19th century and add to the atmosphere of the town.
The local newspaper for northeastern Anglesey is Yr Arwydd ('The Sign').
The name Amlwch – a reference to the site of the town's harbour, Porth Amlwch – derives from Welsh
am ("about, on or around") and llwch (an old word meaning "inlet, creek" - similar to the Gaelic word "loch" for a body of water).
According to legend in the Middle Ages, the town developed on a site that had a harbour but was not visible from the sea, which helped to reduce the chance of Viking
attacks.
It grew rapidly in the 18th century near what was then the world's biggest copper
mine at the nearby Parys Mountain
. By the late 18th century, Amlwch had a population of around 10,000 and was the second largest town in Wales after Merthyr Tydfil
. It was at this time that its harbour was also extended to accommodate the ships needed to transport the ore. It is currently the fourth largest settlement on the island with 3,438 inhabitants.
When copper mining began to decline in the mid-1850s, shipbuilding
became the main industry with many people also becoming involved in the ship repair and other maritime industries. The town was home to a brewing industry and also had tobacco works, producing the famous Amlwch Shag Tobacco - "Baco Shag Amlwch". Even after the decline of the copper mine some chemical industries remained and in 1953 a chemical plant to extract bromine
from sea water (for use in petrol engines) was built but this closed in 2004. The imminent closure of nearby Wylfa Nuclear Power Station will have a further detrimental effect on the local economy.
At the peak of the copper mining, it is believed that Amlwch had a record of public house
to person ratio, with there being one pub for every four people. Today the ratio is nowhere near that mark but you can find pubs such as the King's Head, the Queen's Head, the Mariner, the Dinorben Arms Hotel and the Market Tavern in the town, and the Liverpool Arms and the Adelphi Vaults down in the port area. It also used to have a station, the northern terminus of the Anglesey Central Railway
which was open between 1864 and 1993. There are some that would like to see the line restored, including the County Council's Economic Development Representative and consultants English, Welsh & Scottish Railway, believing that it would be beneficial for the local tourism industry as well as providing further public transport, linking the town with Bangor via rail.
Attractions in Amlwch include its restored port, the Anglesey Coastal Path
which passes through it, its watch tower containing a small heritage centre, St Eleth's Church, Amlwch
(which dates from 1800) and the reinforced concrete
Catholic church Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Winefride
, built in 1937. The town's leisure centre
is one of the few on Anglesey and has a swimming pool
, sports centre and squash courts
. It is situated on Anglesey's 125-mile stretch of coast that is designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the coastal walks and heritage walks provide for unique and spectacular views.
The town also has two football
teams, Amlwch Town F.C.
, who play in the Welsh Alliance League
, and the Adelphi Vaults F.C., a Sunday League pub team currently playing in the My Scaffolding League Division 1.
Amlwch has a Sea Rowing Club based in Bull Bay, Trireme Ynys Mon Rowing Club. Training takes place Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Sunday Mornings. The club is the most successful rowing club in North Wales, and competes in the Welsh Sea Rowing Association League.
It is also home to the local secondary school
, Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones
which Lemmy attended, and the town also has a primary school. The high street is home to a number of small private businesses, many with a unique and boutique feel.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It is situated on the north coast of the Isle of Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, on the A5025
A5025 road
The A5025 is a British 'A' road that runs from Llanfairpwllgwyngyll to Valley in Anglesey, Wales. It runs up the east, north and finally north-west side of the island via several places including Benllech and Amlwch. In all the road is around long...
which connects it to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
and to Menai Bridge
Menai Bridge
Menai Bridge is a small town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in north Wales. It overlooks the Menai Strait and lies by the Menai Suspension Bridge, built in 1826 by Thomas Telford...
. The town has no beach, but it has impressive coastal cliffs. Tourism is an important element of the local economy. At one time it was a busy port, with boats sailing to the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
and to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. A number of the houses date from the 19th century and add to the atmosphere of the town.
The local newspaper for northeastern Anglesey is Yr Arwydd ('The Sign').
The name Amlwch – a reference to the site of the town's harbour, Porth Amlwch – derives from Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
am ("about, on or around") and llwch (an old word meaning "inlet, creek" - similar to the Gaelic word "loch" for a body of water).
According to legend in the Middle Ages, the town developed on a site that had a harbour but was not visible from the sea, which helped to reduce the chance of Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
attacks.
It grew rapidly in the 18th century near what was then the world's biggest copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mine at the nearby Parys Mountain
Parys Mountain
Parys Mountain – in the Welsh language Mynydd Parys – is located south of the town of Amlwch in north east Anglesey, Wales. It is the site of a large copper mine that was extensively exploited in the late 18th century.-History:...
. By the late 18th century, Amlwch had a population of around 10,000 and was the second largest town in Wales after Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
. It was at this time that its harbour was also extended to accommodate the ships needed to transport the ore. It is currently the fourth largest settlement on the island with 3,438 inhabitants.
When copper mining began to decline in the mid-1850s, shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
became the main industry with many people also becoming involved in the ship repair and other maritime industries. The town was home to a brewing industry and also had tobacco works, producing the famous Amlwch Shag Tobacco - "Baco Shag Amlwch". Even after the decline of the copper mine some chemical industries remained and in 1953 a chemical plant to extract bromine
Bromine
Bromine ") is a chemical element with the symbol Br, an atomic number of 35, and an atomic mass of 79.904. It is in the halogen element group. The element was isolated independently by two chemists, Carl Jacob Löwig and Antoine Jerome Balard, in 1825–1826...
from sea water (for use in petrol engines) was built but this closed in 2004. The imminent closure of nearby Wylfa Nuclear Power Station will have a further detrimental effect on the local economy.
At the peak of the copper mining, it is believed that Amlwch had a record of public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
to person ratio, with there being one pub for every four people. Today the ratio is nowhere near that mark but you can find pubs such as the King's Head, the Queen's Head, the Mariner, the Dinorben Arms Hotel and the Market Tavern in the town, and the Liverpool Arms and the Adelphi Vaults down in the port area. It also used to have a station, the northern terminus of the Anglesey Central Railway
Anglesey Central Railway
The Anglesey Central Railway was a long standard-gauge railway in Anglesey, Wales, connecting the port of Amlwch and the county town of Llangefni with the North Wales Coast Line at Gaerwen. Built as an independent railway, the railway opened in portions from 1864 to 1867...
which was open between 1864 and 1993. There are some that would like to see the line restored, including the County Council's Economic Development Representative and consultants English, Welsh & Scottish Railway, believing that it would be beneficial for the local tourism industry as well as providing further public transport, linking the town with Bangor via rail.
Attractions in Amlwch include its restored port, the Anglesey Coastal Path
Anglesey Coastal Path
The Anglesey Coastal Path is a long-distance footpath around the island of Anglesey in North Wales....
which passes through it, its watch tower containing a small heritage centre, St Eleth's Church, Amlwch
St Eleth's Church, Amlwch
St Eleth's Church, Amlwch is a parish church built in the Neo-classical style in 1800 in Amlwch, a town on the island of Anglesey in north Wales. It stands on the site of earlier buildings, with the first church here said to have been established by St Elaeth in the 6th century...
(which dates from 1800) and the reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
Catholic church Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Winefride
Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Winefride, Amlwch
Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Winefride, Amlwch is a Roman Catholic church in Amlwch, a town on the island of Anglesey, north Wales. It was built in the 1930s to a design by an Italian architect, Giuseppe Rinvolucri, using reinforced concrete...
, built in 1937. The town's leisure centre
Leisure centre
A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
is one of the few on Anglesey and has a swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, sports centre and squash courts
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
. It is situated on Anglesey's 125-mile stretch of coast that is designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the coastal walks and heritage walks provide for unique and spectacular views.
The town also has two football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
teams, Amlwch Town F.C.
Amlwch Town F.C.
Amlwch Town F.C. is a football team, playing in Amlwch on the island of Anglesey in the Welsh Alliance League, the third tier of the Welsh football league system....
, who play in the Welsh Alliance League
Welsh Alliance League
The Welsh Alliance Football League is a football league formed in 1984...
, and the Adelphi Vaults F.C., a Sunday League pub team currently playing in the My Scaffolding League Division 1.
Amlwch has a Sea Rowing Club based in Bull Bay, Trireme Ynys Mon Rowing Club. Training takes place Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Sunday Mornings. The club is the most successful rowing club in North Wales, and competes in the Welsh Sea Rowing Association League.
It is also home to the local secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones
Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones
Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones is the comprehensive school in the Pentrefelin area of Amlwch, Anglesey. The School was opened in 1950 and named after Sir Thomas Jones who was an Amlwch doctor and Chairman of the County Council. The school was initially designed to accommodate 700 pupils...
which Lemmy attended, and the town also has a primary school. The high street is home to a number of small private businesses, many with a unique and boutique feel.
Notable people
- William RoosWilliam RoosWilliam Roos was a Welsh artist and engraver. Several of Roos' portraits, mainly of notable Welsh figures, are owned by the National Library of Wales.-Life history:...
(1808-1878), artist and engraver - Andy WhitfieldAndy WhitfieldAndy Whitfield was a Welsh actor and model. He was best known for his leading role in the Starz television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand during 2010, a year before his death at the age of 39.-Career:...
(1972-2011), actor - Billy ButlerBilly Butler (DJ)Billy Butler is a radio presenter on BBC Radio Merseyside. In the 1960s he was a DJ at the Cavern Club and has presented TV shows such as FAX and the magazine programme What the Butler Sees...
(1942-), radio and television presenter