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Ongull's Isle Revisited

So you want to see some history? Preferably without having to spend too much money? What about a bit of Stone Age? Some Bronze and Iron Age perhaps? Throw in a bit of Phoenician and Roman before moving on to Viking and Medieval English? Well, you can see the lot when you visit historic Ongull's Isle! Never heard of it? You have, although not by this name. It's about 200 yards off the mainland of Britain in the Irish Sea. Still no wiser? To give you a clue its modern name in English is a corruption of Ongull's Isle.

For those of you still in the dark let me tell you who Ongull was. Not a lot is known about him but he was a Viking. Possibly from Dublin. Now you are more confused than ever! However, Dublin was in fact founded by the Vikings and was a Viking town until the Irish threw them out in the 10th century. It's thought that Ongull sailed East across the Irish Sea to found a new colony, landing in what was then part of a loose collection of tribal lands which is now called Wales.

He settled on an island and gave it his name, the Isle of Anglesey, or Ongull's Isle This island is a place I can't get enough of. Jacqui and I have had a caravan sited here for the last 19 years and I still haven't explored all of it yet. I decided to leave Jacqui with the latest Stephen King and have a quick look around some of the more interesting places, courtesy of the local bus company, Arriva Travel!

So, armed only with a day-sack containing a spare sweater, waterproof, sandwiches and a can of Boddingtons's Best Bitter, I caught the 62 bus outside the Bull Inn and bought a Day Rover ticket. First stop Moelfre and 6000 years of history!

Moelfre's present day claim to fame is centred on its outstanding Lifeboat Station, where many lives have been saved and Gold Medals won. But go back through the centuries and a mile or so down the coast I found the Neolithic burial chamber at Llygwy. These standing stones were on the left-hand side of the road as I approached the 3rd Century Romano-British settlement of Din Llygwy. There was no access but the stones were only feet away so I had a good view. Then I carried on down the road and climbed the style in the lay-bye on the left and crossed the fields, making a small detour to the ruined Hen Capel, a remote, roofless chapel that has both 12th and 14th century phases of construction. Traces of render are still visible on the inner walls, which reflects its station at the time. The side chapel was added in the 16th century, along with the vault. Then it was up the hill and through the woods until I came to the settlement.

Din Llygwy itself is a remarkable example of a walled Romano-British settlement. It comprises of around 10 or so huts, some round, some square, with the walls of all remaining. It was a centre for iron working, as some excavations of the square huts have revealed iron slag and charcoal. It probably supported a population of around 50 to 60 people. Its position on a small hill made it an easily defended settlement, although who from I don't know. It wouldn't have been the Romans who were settled in the area, a Roman villa being a mile or so down the road at Llanbedrgoch. Perhaps it was from some sea raiders or other who were still attacking the island until the second millennium.

Time to move on; so it was back on the bus to visit a site that was known to the Phoenicians and other pre-historical civilisations. Until about 150 years ago, when both the Dark Continent and South America were relatively unknown and unexplored, most of the worlds copper was mined here on the Isle of Anglesey. Just a few miles up the road, in fact, at Parys Mountain, just outside Amlwch. Here is a landscape that defines the heritage of industrial development through the ages. Bronze Age remains give way to 19th Century industrialisation. It is a landscape of extraordinary colours, especially after rain. I had to take care though; mine shafts litter the site so I stayed on the public footpaths. I had a bit of spare time so decided to go a couple of miles out of my way and see the deep water harbour of Port Amlwch, where the copper was exported all over the civilised world. It's not very impressive nowadays but you can just imagine the rowing galleys crewed by slaves docking here.

Listed below are just a few of the facinating places to visit on the Island. Just click on any of the links to get more information and how to get to some of the places.

The Mound of the Dark Grove