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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"HOLY ISLAND, (or Holyread Island), in county Anglesey, called by the Welsh Ynys Gybi, lies on the W. side of Anglesey, from which it is divided by a strait, or traeth, which dries at low water, and is crossed by the embankment and bridges of the great Irish coast road and the Chester and Holyhead railway, and also by an ordinary stone bridge, which spans the arm of the sea at its narrowest point. It lies N.W. and S.E., being about 7 miles long by 3 broad, but narrowing in the middle. It is divided into the parishes of Holyhead and Rhoscolyn.
The general character of the island is hilly and barren, but it includes some good pasture for sheep, and a proportion of fair arable soil. The rocks belong to the Silurian slates and grits of Caernarvon and Merioneth, but have been altered by geologic changes into chlorite and mica schists, and in other spots into quartz rock, accompanied by flexures of the beds. Variegated marble is found, as also verd antique and soapstone. In many places along the coast, as at the South Stack rocks, these hard chloritic schists have been perforated by the action of the waves into vast caverns, frequented by innumerable quantities of seabirds, including gulls, cormorants, razor-bills, guillemots, and even peregrine falcons, which here breed in security, as they are prohibited to be shot, on account of the services that they render to vessels in foggy weather, by surrounding them with loud cries immediately a gun is fired.
In the precipitous face of the cliffs of the mainland 380 steps have been cut, leading to a suspension bridge which spans the chasm separating the South Stack rock with its lighthouse from the main island. The lighthouse was erected in 1809, and is 212 feet above high water, yet so awful is the violence of the sea here in S.W. gales, that it frequently dashes over the whole rock and the dwellings of the keepers. On the North Stack on the other side of the island is also a lighthouse 117 feet above high water, which was lately purchased by the Trinity Board of M. Jones, Esq., for £450,000, as compensation for taking the light into their own hands. See Holyhead and Rhoscolyn." LINON, a tributary of the Allua, county Anglesey."

"LLYFON HUNDRED, one of the subdivisions of county Anglesey, situated in the western part of the county. It includes the parishes of Bodedern, Bodwrog, Ceirchiog, Llanbealan, Llandrygarn, Llanfaelog, Llanllibio, Llantrisaint, Llanynghenedl, Llechcynfarwy, Llechylched, Llanfair-yn-cubwll, Llanfihanglyn-Howyn, Trewalchmai, with some portion of Holyhead."

"MALLTRAETH, a hundred in county Anglesey. It is situated on Maltraeth Bay, and contains the parishes of Aberffraw, Cerrig- Ceinwen, Heneglwys, Llangadwaladr, Llangristiolus, Llangwyfan, with Trefdraeth. It gives name to a deanery in the archdeaconry and diocese of Bangor."

"MALTRAETH, a bay on the coast of Anglesey, 3 miles S.E. of Aberffraw. It is dry at low water, with a sandy bottom, and is of considerable importance, being near the line of the Chester and Holyhead railway."

"MENAI, a hundred in county Anglesey, contains the parishes of Llanedwin with Llanfair-yn-y-Cwmmwd, Llanerchymedd, Llanffinan, Llanfihangel-Esceifiog, Llangefin, Llangeinwen, Llangaffo, Llangwyllog, Llanidan, Llanddaniel-Fab, Newborough, Rhodogeidio, Rhoscolyn, and Tregayan. It gives name to a deanery in the archdeaconry and diocese of Bangor."

"MOUSE ISLANDS, a cluster of islets, or rocks, on the N. coast of county Anglesey, comprising East, Middle, and West Mouse, with several smaller rocks."

"PUFFIN ISLAND, (or Priestholme), an islet at the entrance of the Menai, county Anglesey, 4 miles N.E. of Beaumaris. It is about 1 mile in length, and is the Welsh Ynys Seiriol. It formerly belonged to the monks of Penmon, and is much frequented by puffins, from which circumstance it derives its name. In 1831 the Rothsay Castle was wrecked at Dutchman's Spit, on the coast, when 100 lives were lost."

"SKERRIES, a rocky islet off the coast of county Anglesey, 2 miles from Point Carnal, and 6 N.E. of Holyhead. It is near 1 mile in length, and has a lighthouse, erected in 1714, visible for 15 miles."

"STACK, a cluster of rocks near Holyhead Point, county Anglesey. They are marked by a revolving light 201 feet above sea-level."

"STAG, a dangerous rock off the W. coast of county Anglesey, one third of a mile N.E. of Holyhead Pier."

"TAL-Y-BOLION, a hundred in the county of Anglesey, contains the parishes of Llanbadrig, Llanbalo, Llanddansaint, Llanfairynghornwy, Llanfachreth, Llanfaethly, Llanfechell, Llanfigael. Llanffiewyn, Llanfwrog, Llanrhwydrys, Llanrhyddlad, and part of Holyhead."

"TRAETH DULAS, a creek on the north-eastern side of county Anglesey."

"TWRCELYN, a hundred, county Anglesey, contains the parishes of Amlwch, Bodewryd, Coedana, Llanallgo, Llandyfrydog, Llaneilian, Llaneugrad, Llanfihangel-Tre'r-Beirdd, Llanwenllwyfo, and Penrhos-Lligwy. It gives name to a deanery in the archdeaconry and diocese of Bangor."

"TYNDAETHWY, a hundred, county Anglesey, contains the parishes of Beaumaris, Llanbedr-Goch, Llanddyfnan, Llandysilio, Llanfair Mathafarn-Eithaf, Llanfair-Pwllgwyngyll, Llangoed, Llansadwrn, Penmynydd, Pentreath, and parts of Llanddona, Llandegfan, Llanfaes, Llanfihangel-Tyn Sylwy, Llaniestyn, and Pemnon." [From The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]