Towards the end of the Civil War, Major Thomas Swift took control of the fort of Holyhead in 1649, and in the following year he was made Postmaster. This gave him responsibility for the ships carrying the mail to Ireland, which was a troublesome…

Most Welsh place-names that incorporate the names of saints occur in the form of llan with the name of the saint, and places named Llangybi (the enclosure, church or parish of Cybi) can be found elsewhere in Wales on the Llŷn Peninsula, in…

The two-storey folly was erected in 1868 for Ellin or Ellen Stanley. Ellen came from the Williams family of Bodelwyddan near St Asaph in north Wales and married William Owen Stanley of Penrhos in 1832. They lived at Penrhos mansion near Holyhead,…

The Ucheldre Centre is the beating heart of culture in Holyhead; it is housed in a former convent in the middle of Holyhead, just minutes from the port. The building was rescued from demolition by local residents in the late nineteen eighties and…

A Little Bit Eco has been a feature in Holyhead for the last four years. Owner Cathie is early adopter and champion of sustainable practices. Her new, airy premises on William’s Street will provide you with all your refill needs, be it for your…

In the first half of the nineteenth century, Holyhead experienced considerable growth and improvements to the town infrastructure thanks to the growing importance of its port. The completion of Thomas Telford’s Holyhead to London postroad, the…

Residents of Holyhead fondly remember Pollecoff’s department and drapery store for its ‘elegance and quality’. Its owner, Solomon Polliakoff, was born in Russia in 1867. He emigrated to the United Kingdom to escape persecution and to better himself…

The newly-created Boathouse Hotel is the first social enterprise Eco-Hotel in North Wales with a social and environmental mission. Nestled in a dip on Newry Beach Promenade, the Boathouse Hotel boasts a perfect location on the Anglesey Coastal Path…