Anglesey

Anglesey is both an island and a county in North/West Wales. Beaumaris is the chief town in this region of low, rolling hills. Principally a farming area, the island is connected to the mainland via two bridges over the Menai Strait. The town of Menai Bridge has long been a stock-trading centre for North/West Wales because of this. Anglesey is said to have been the last refuge of the druids from the Romans in Britain. At the centre of the island is Penmynydd, once the home of Owen Tudor, founder of the house of Tudor. Anglesey was also known as Mam Cymru ('Mother of Wales') during the middle ages because its fertile fields formed the breadbasket for the North of Wales; the area remains a beautiful site.

For the visitor today, it has several thriving towns rich in culture, history and of course, character. The historic town of Beaumaris is the site of one of the castles built by Edward I after his defeat of the Welsh princes, as well as the historic mansion Henllys Hall. The town of Holyhead is the main ferry port for travel across the Irish Sea to Dublin. Angelesey has the dubious pleasure of having the village with the longest place name in Britain: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch!
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" - at least it was always easily found! The name was actually coined in the 19th century to attract tourists to the Island. It is abbreviated to Llanfairpwll or Llanfair P.G. by the locals, for obvious reasons!