Llanddwyn

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National Gazetteer (1868) - Llanddwyn

"LLANDDWYN, (or Llanddwynwen), an ancient parish and island, now part of Newborough, in the hundred of Menai, county Anglesey, 9 miles from Carnarvon, 20 from Beaumaris, its post town, and 3 from the Bodorgan station on the Crewe and Chester section of the London and North-Western railway. It is situated in a wild spot near the coast, at the extremity of Newborough Warren, and on Llanddwyn Point stands the Carnarvon lighthouse. In ancient times it had an oratory to St. Dwynwen, the daughter of Brychan Urth, the patron saint of lovers; also a Benedictine cell adjoining the Ffynnon, or St. Mary's Well, which was visited by contrite persons, who munificently contributed to the support of the monks.

On the small island of the same name, at the mouth of Maltraeth Bay, stood the abbey, which when intact was a cruciform church, 70 feet in length, but now only a portion of the E. end and part of the side walls of the choir are left standing. In the time of Owain Glyndwr this shrine was considered exceedingly wealthy, and its revenues in the time of Henry VIII, constituted the richest prebend in Bangor Cathedral. The greater part of the island has since been overwhelmed with a mass of, sand, blown over from the opposite coast of Arvonia. It is famed in history as the spot where Dean Kyffin, and other adherents of the Earl of Richmond, carried on their intrigues against King Richard.

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