Benllech (; ) is a large village on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. It is in the community of Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf, which has a population of 3,382, making it the fourth largest settlement on the island of Anglesey. The name of Benllech village had been removed by the time of the 2011 census with the community being listed under Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf with the

electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...

being listed under Llanddyfnan. The built-up area has a population of 2,236.

Description

The

name A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. The entity identified by a name is called its referent. A personal ...

Benllech is perhaps a mutated form of ''penllech'', literally "head slab" or "head rock", i.e. "capstone" or "head of the rock", or possibly meaning 'on slate', shortened from the Welsh term 'ar ben llech'. Benllech is a well established seaside resort and popular beach holiday destination. Winner of the European Blue Flag award since 2004, the beach shelves an abundance of clean yellow sand and looks out toward the Great Orme and Penmon Point. The

Anglesey Coastal Path The Anglesey Coastal Path (formally the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path) is a long-distance footpath around the island of Anglesey (Ynys Môn) in North Wales. The route is part of the Wales Coast Path. Description The path mainly follows the c ...

and Wales Coast Path pass through Benllech. The village won the 'tidiest village on Anglesey' competition in the years 1973–79. One of the largest residential estates in the village, Breeze Hill, was awarded a Civic Trust Award which recognises the very best in architecture, design, planning, landscape and public art. The award was given to projects of the highest quality design, which have made a positive cultural, social and economic contribution to the local community. Benllech has a range of businesses which include public houses and hotels, camping and caravan sites and several bed and breakfasts. The community has a primary school, Ysgol Goronwy Owen; library, doctors' surgery, chemist, several churches, hardware store, two community centres, police and fire station, tennis court and bowling green, a number of supermarkets (Spar, Cooperative and Tesco Express), restaurants and a petrol service station. Between 1909 and 1950 there was a railway station close to the village which was the terminus of the Red Wharf Bay branch line. The old station house and several railway bridges can be seen along the road approaching the village. Situated on the outskirts of Benllech lies the Scheduled Monument Pant-Y-Saer enclosed hut group, otherwise known as "Cytiau'r Gwyddelod" (Irish Huts). The monument consists of a complex of mainly circular huts and parts of an associated substantial enclosure wall lying on a slightly elevated limestone plateau area beside an old lane running from Llanbedrgoch to Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf, about 0.6 km S of the modern settlement of Benllech. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric/ Romano British settlements. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structures themselves may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. Benllech Beach Anglesey

Notable residents

* William Jones (1675–1749), mathematician who was the first to use the Greek letter π for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, was born in the parish of Llanfihangel Tre'r Beirdd * Goronwy Owen (1723–1769), poet, a native of Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf; Benllech named its village hall and its primary school, Ysgol Goronwy Owen, after him. * Melville Richards (1910-1973), scholar of Welsh language and literature and Celtic studies, lived and died in Benllech *

Lemmy Kilmister Ian Fraser Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015), better known as Lemmy Kilmister or simply Lemmy, was an English musician. He was the founder, lead singer, bassist and primary songwriter of the rock band Motörhead, of which he w ...

(1956–1962), lead singer, bassist and guitarist of Motörhead, lived here from the age 10 to age 16. * Carwyn Ellis (born 1973), lead singer for Colorama moved about before his family settled in Benllech.

Location

Benllech is located approximately 8 miles along the A5025 coast road from both bridges which cross from the island to the mainland including via the A55 North Wales Expressway. The nearest mainline railway station is Llanfairpwll which can be reached in under half an hour on the bus services which run through the village or under 20 minutes by car. The city of Bangor and the town of Caernarfon are less than half an hour's drive away. The Royal Mail postal code for the area is LL74.

Events at Benllech

In 1956, West Kirby Sailing Club and the National Firefly Association joined forces to hold one of the largest dinghy sailing championships held up to that time in England or Wales. There were 109 boats competing, with two people in each boat, which meant 218 competitors, there would have been a management team from the Wirral of at least 20 more people. Many stayed in tents and a marquee was erected in which all the competitors were entertained at night and in which they held a dinner and prizegiving on the final night. Firefly Championship 1956- list of competitors

References

External links

*
photos of Benllech and surrounding area on geographVideo of Benllech Past and Present by Dafydd Jones
{{authority control Coast of Anglesey Villages in Anglesey Seaside resorts in Wales Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf Recipients of Civic Trust Awards Blue Flag beaches