Since the opening of the Chester and Holyhead Railway, thousands of persons have availed themselves of the opportunity, thus afforded, of visiting this extreme western point of the Principality. And though the claims of business are weighty and urgent, still, many will secure a few days in some of the summer months, for the purpose of repairing, in some measure, the physical and mental waste of a year’s toil. Such persons, having arrived at the spot where they purpose making a short stay, are desirous to know how the brief season may be at once profitably spent. Hence, the numerous inquiries made by many of the visitors to Holyhead, as to whether there were any objects worthy of notice in the town and neighbourhood, led the writer to infer that a small Hand-book, containing the desired information, was a desideratum. He has, therefore, made the attempt to supply the deficiency, by communicating all necessary detail of such objects of interest as the Tourist may become acquainted with in the space of a short time, at a very reasonable outlay, and he trusts the following sketches will be found to afford some hints and observations, not altogether useless to those who may have the good fortune to visit this romantic locality.
In the compilation of the present Guide, the writer has consulted most of the best authors on North Wales, and has availed himself of that assistance, without which the work would not have appeared in its present dress. The writer makes no apology for the religious sentences, occasionally interwoven in the following pages, for he is fully persuaded that no excursionist can really enjoy a ramble amid the beauties of creation, unless he looks “through nature up to nature’s God.”
In conclusion, the compiler has only to add, that if the reader derives any information, pleasure, or profit, from the perusal of the work, he shall think the time occupied in writing it by no means uselessly employed.
T. J.
Holyhead, 1853.
N.B.—In the event of a second edition of this work being called for, the compiler would feel greatly obliged to any person who would furnish him with any additional information respecting any of the objects named in this Hand-book.
And thou, Holyhead!—thy time-honoured name,
Shall henceforth flutter on the wings of fame.
To trace a mighty river to its source, has ever been considered a sublime and interesting employment. It is pleasing to ascend its course from the point where it opens into the ocean, and becomes an inlet of wealth to an empire, till we arrive at the spot where it bubbles up a spring just sufficient to irrigate the meadows of a neighbouring farm, and to observe, as it receives the confluence of tributary waters, how it diffuses its benefits to the tribes that dwell upon its banks. Still more engaging is the task to trace the history of flourishing cities and thriving towns. The rise and progress of Holyhead, from an obscure and mean condition to one of increasing prosperity, is full of interest. Its early history appears to have had but little attention, and perhaps deservedly, from the insignificancy of the object. In giving a succinct account of it, the writer finds himself somewhat perplexed, in consequence of the very scanty materials with which he is furnished. The historical guide-stones placed along the march of time are few and far between. There are centuries in which the footprints of its history are scarcely traceable. Roll back the tide of time, and you will find Holyhead a small fishing village, where
A band of fishers chose their humble seat;
Contented labour bless’d the fair retreat:
Inured to hardship, patient, bold, and rude,
They brav’d the billows for precarious food;
Their straggling huts were ranged along the shore,
Their nets and little boats, their only store.
When and by whom the Isle of Holyhead was first peopled is involved in obscurity; to us in this age, this part of its history is a profound secret; all that is, therefore, said on that subject must be mere conjecture. Antiquarians and historians have exercised their ingenuity with respect to the origin of the name of the town. On this subject there are various opinions. It was regarded as peculiarly sacred, in consequence of its being the place of interment of pious people, and thence called Holy Island. Some suppose the place was called Holy-head, from the great number of chapels or places of religious worship that were in it. Others assert that its most ancient name was Llan y Gwyddel; and they say that the word Llan probably signifies the Irishman’s beach or shore, and not church, as generally accepted, for the shore is called in this parish, and no where else in Wales, Llan y Mor, instead of Glan y Mor; and in support of this supposition, our histories make frequent mention of the Irish rovers landing here, and of their incursions into several parts of the Island of Mona, or Anglesey, and also raising some rude fortifications to protect their shipping. At the present time there are places near Holyhead called Porth y Gwyddyl, (Irishman’s port); Pentre Gwyddyl, (Irishman’s village, or hamlet); Cytiau’r Gwyddelod, (Irishman’s cottages.)
Again it is conjectured, that Holyhead, like most Welsh towns, dates its origin from an early Saint; and there are also the usual stories of miraculous arrivals, especially as relates to one St. Fraid, (Bride) an Irish Saintess, who, it is said, sailed from Ireland on a sod of green turf, which, on her landing, became a firm hillock, and upon which she built her chapel. And one of the old Bards founds the name of the Island as springing from this mysterious lady, which he chronicles in the following couplet:—
Swift o’er the sea the floating island fled,
While glorious rays illum’d her Holy Head.
But its most usual Welsh name is Caer Cybi, (Fort of Cybi,) so called from St. Cybi. History records the following account of this singular and extraordinary personage.—Holyhead was the residence of a British Saint, named Corincus, or Cybi, son of Solomon, Duke of Cornwall; who, it is said, about the middle of the fourth century, after having lived a very religious life for 20 years, went over to France, to Hilary, Bishop of Poictiers; and finding favour with the Bishop, was ordained by him, and officiated as his assistant until the Bishop’s death. He then returned to his native place; but on account of tribulation in the country, and some painful occurrences in the circumstances of his family, he left home again, and arrived at St. David’s, and ultimately crossed over to Ireland; and after residing there four years, returned and settled in Holyhead. A Prince in Anglesey, out of compassion to him, in consequence of his low pecuniary circumstances, gave him a castle, which was in the neighbourhood. Cybi founded a small monastery within the castle walls, and the establishment was called Côr Cybi, in allusion to the monastery, or Caer Cybi, in reference to the castle walls. Mr. Pennant presumes that the name of the town has originated from the castle walls, the remains of which are still to be seen. Mr. Morris says, that Caer Cybi, lived at the time of the dissolution of the Roman Empire in Britain, and was contemporary, and on great friendship with Seiriol, an eminent Saint, of Priestholme, or Ynys Seiriol, (Seiriol’s Island,) near Beaumaris. St. Cybi, observes Tanner, flourished about A.D. 380, and founded a small monastery in Holyhead. In the beginning of the 15th century, the Irish fleet invaded Anglesey; and after committing some depredations, returned to Ireland, taking with them the shrine of St. Cybi, which trophy they deposited among the relics in Christ’s church.
Whether this town took its name from the Irish, who very early resided here,—or from its number of chapels,—or from the interment of the pious,—or from the legend of St. Bride,—or from the Saint who dwelt within its ancient fort,—is surely now of very little consequence.
About A.D. 389, the Irish, under the command of Serigi, (the Rover,) landed in Anglesey; and having defeated the natives, took possession of the Island. On this invasion, Caswallon-Llaw-Hir, (or the longhanded) Prince of Wales, came to the relief of Mona; and having routed the enemy, pursued them to Holyhead, where their fleet lay; here they fought a second battle, in which Caswallon slew Serigi, the Irish commander, with his own hand. It is said that in this action the tribe of Caswallon put the fetters of their horses upon their own legs, by two and two, to shew their determination was,
Their country, parents, children, save,
Or fill one great and glorious grave!
The few records we have concerning Caswallon-Llaw-Hir, delineate the great man and the hero. He was the eldest son of Einion Yrth, sovereign of North Wales. The Triads record him with Rhiwallon son of Urier, and Belyn, as the chiefs of the three golden-banded tribes. In consequence of the signal bravery of the people of Caswallon, in the great battle of Holyhead, their leader obtained a privilege of wearing the golden bands, which denoted that no other power had jurisdiction there except the voice of the national diet, assembled on extraordinary occasions. After this conquest, a chapel was erected, within the fortification of Holyhead, over Serigi, called Eglwys y Bedd, i.e., the church of the grave. This church was afterwards endowed with distinct revenues from those of the Collegiate Church, as appears by the College leases; it was called in the British manuscript, Capel Llan y Gwyddel, or the Chapel of the Irishman. At length it fell into ruin, and remained disused for ages; and was ultimately removed, in order to render the way to the church more commodious. In digging, the workmen found a stone coffin, or chest, under an arch in the north side of the chancel, with human bones of a prodigious size. Serigi was canonized by his countrymen, and had in this chapel a shrine, which seems to have been held in exceedingly high repute, for several very wonderful qualities and cures; but according to an old Irish chronicle, it was carried off by some Irish rovers, and deposited in the Cathedral of Christ Church, Dublin; from whence, they were removed with many others, after the reformation, to — a place not far from Dublin, where the relics that could be preserved from that universal destruction are still kept.
A religious house is said to have been erected here by Prince Maelgwyn Gwynedd, in the latter part of the 6th century. Maelgwyn Gwynedd endowed the See of Bangor with lands and franchises; he also built or repaired Shrewsbury, and the Castle of Harlech; also the Priory of Penmon; and was the patron of Taliesin, the Post Laureate, and prince of the celebrated Bards. A castle, now in ruins, over against the town of Conway, was originally erected by him; he was contempory with Prince Arthur:—
In Arthur’s days, of ancient date,
When Cambria’s chiefs elected
Her Maelgwyn to the regal seat,
Were Harlech’s towers erected.
History says he died of the yellow fever, which then desolated the country, in the church of Llanrhos, which gave rise to an adage,—
The sleep of Maelgwyn in the church of Llanrhos.
Holyhead being a landing place for the enemy, was often the scene of violent encounters, between the Welsh on the one side, and the Irish, Picts, Danes, and Saxons on the other.
In A.D. 914, the men of Dublin destroyed Holyhead and ravaged the Isle of Anglesey.
In A.D. 958, Abloic, King of Ireland, burnt Holyhead, and spoiled the country.
The house for canons regular, called the College, appears to have been founded by Hwfa ap Cynddelw, lord of Llys Llifon, and one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales, a contemporary with Owen Gwynedd, who began his reign in 1137. This college was granted by James I. to Francis Morris, and Francis Phillips. It afterwards became the property of Rice Gwynne, Esq., who, in the year 1640, transferred the tithes to Jesus College, Oxford, for the maintenance of two Scholars, and two Fellows; since that time, the parish has been served by a Curate, nominated by the College. The Rev. Charles Williams, B.D., is the present Incumbent.
The head of this institute, formerly one of the three Spiritual Lords of Anglesey, was usually denominated Penclas, or Pencolas. The Rev. Mr. Evans considers it to have been Pencais, or chief judge in ecclesiastical matters. But from the inscription on the exergue of the ancient seal belonging to the Chapter, “Sigillum Rectoris et capitali Ecclesia de Caer Gybi;” it appears that his customary title was that of Rector. He was styled in a subsequent period Provost; for Edward III. bestowed the Provostship of “his free Chapel, Caer Cybi, on his Chaplain, Thomas de London,” for which the King, in 1351, dispensed with his services to himself. The original number of Canons is uncertain. By an inquisition made in 1553, twelve persons, styled Prependaries, were found on the pension list, receiving an annual allowance of twenty shillings each. Prior to the dissolution, the Provost had an income of thirty-nine marks, (£26); one Chaplain, a stipend of thirteen marks, (£8 13s. 4d.); and two others, each a moiety of the latter sum. The estimate, therefore, made in the time of Henry VIII., of its annual revenue, as amounting to £24, must have been an under valuation.
In 1745, the materials of Capel Llan y Gwyddel, or the Irishman’s Chapel, were used for the purpose of building a Public School, by Edward Wynn, L.L.D., of Bodewryd, in this county, who gave by bond, dated Nov. 25th, 1748, the sum of £120 for the endowment of it; the interest thereof to be paid annually, on the 24th of November, to the Schoolmaster, for teaching six poor boys of the town to read and write.
Is a handsome, embattled, cruciform structure, consisting of a chancel, nave, ailes, and transept, with a square tower, surmounted by a low flat kind of spire. The present edifice, exclusive of the chancel, appears to have been rebuilt, in the time of Edward III., and the latter was repaired in the beginning of the last century. The inside of the entrance porch, and the external part of the south end of the transept, are decorated with rude, but curious carvings. On the latter are the figures of a dragon, a man leading a bear, and other grotesque representations. On the pediments and embattlements are cherubic heads; and one or two figures in supplicating posture. The exterior carvings, in consequence of being executed on soft stone, and exposed to the sea, are almost mouldered away; under the porch, however, where sheltered from the weather, they are much more perfect. There is the following inscription, in Gothic characters, on the north side of the Church,—“Sancte Kybi; ora pro nobis.” “During the last century (says the Rev. John Price, in his account of Holyhead) the natives showed the print of Kybi’s foot in a rock by the east end of the chancel, till it was destroyed by the Rev. Mr. Ellis, Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, then Curate of this place.”
Long be our Father’s temple ours;
Woe to the hand by which it falls;
A thousand spirits watch its towers;
A cloud of angels guard its walls.
And be their shield by us possessed;