HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Holy Island ( cy, Ynys Gybi, 'the island of (Saint) Cybi') is an island () on the western side of the larger Isle of Anglesey, Wales, from which it is separated by the
Cymyran Strait {{Location map, Wales Anglesey, mark=Green_pog.svg , lat=53.2820021, long=-4.5845404, width=250, float=center , alt = , caption = , image_bathymetry = , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location ...
. It is called "Holy" because of the high concentration of
standing stone A menhir (from Brittonic languages: ''maen'' or ''men'', "stone" and ''hir'' or ''hîr'', "long"), standing stone, orthostat, or lith is a large human-made upright rock (geology), stone, typically dating from the European middle Bronze Age. T ...
s, burial chambers, and other religious sites on the small island. The alternative English name of the island is Holyhead Island. According to the
2011 UK Census A census of the population of the United Kingdom is taken every ten years. The 2011 census was held in all countries of the UK on 27 March 2011. It was the first UK census which could be completed online via the Internet. The Office for National ...
, the population was 13,659, of which 11,431 (84%) lived in the largest town,
Holyhead Holyhead (,; cy, Caergybi , "Cybi's fort") is the largest town and a community in the county of Isle of Anglesey, Wales, with a population of 13,659 at the 2011 census. Holyhead is on Holy Island, bounded by the Irish Sea to the north, and is ...
.


History

Irish pirates invaded Anglesey following the end of Roman rule in Britannia. Cunedda first began warfare against the Irish but ultimately Cadwallon Lawhir defeated the Irish on Holy Island.


Natural features

There are a variety of natural habitats on the island including
mudflat Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal fl ...
s, dunes, marshes, and beaches. Practically nothing is left of the oak forest that covered almost all of the island before the arrival of Neolithic farmers. The western side of the island is taken up mainly by Holyhead Mountain, an area of maritime heather moor, which is the highest peak in the county at . Just off the coast by the mountain are located two islands
North Stack North Stack ( Welsh: Ynys Arw, meaning "rugged island") is a small island situated just off Holy Island on the north-west coast of Anglesey. The area has been an important location in the development of traditional climbing in Britain and has ...
and South Stack, upon the latter stands a lighthouse. Whilst most of the coastline is rocky there are sandy beaches at Trearddur Bay and Penrhos Country Park. Due to the rocky nature the island has seen more of its fair share of shipwrecks through the years. The coastal zone between the island and the mainland of Anglesey is a large site of special scientific interest –
Beddmanarch–Cymyran Beddmanarch–Cymyran is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) on the Welsh island of Anglesey extending to just over , and centred on the Cymyran Strait. It was first notified in 1961 for its coastal botanical and ornithological interest ...
.


Transport

Holy Island is connected to Anglesey by two road links. The first, the
Stanley Embankment The Stanley Embankment (known locally as the Cob) is a railway, road and cycleway embankment that crosses the Cymyran Strait in Wales, connecting the Island of Anglesey and Holy Island. It carries both the North Wales Coast Line for trains, wh ...
, is made up of causeways carrying the A5 and A55. The second is the much older original link,
Four Mile Bridge Four Mile Bridge ( cy, Pontrhydybont / / ) is a village spanning both sides of the Cymyran Strait in Wales, connecting Holy Island with Anglesey, and is approximately southeast of Holyhead. The village is quite small and is split between two ...
. The Stanley Embankment also carries the
North Wales Coast Line The North Wales Coast Line ( cy, Llinell Arfordir Gogledd Cymru), also known as the North Wales Main Line ( cy, Prif Linell Gogledd Cymru or cy, label=none, Prif Linell y Gogledd), is a major railway line in the north of Wales and Cheshire, ...
which terminates at the island's only railway station, in Holyhead. The Port of Holyhead has passenger and freight ferries which travel to Dublin Port, Ireland. Buses from the island run to Amlwch, Llangefni and Bangor amongst other places. Around of 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 ...
is on Holy Island. National Cycle Route 5 and National Cycle Route 8 traverse the island. The nearest airport is Anglesey Airport a few miles away on the Anglesey mainland and provides daily flights to Cardiff. The nearest major airport is Liverpool John Lennon Airport, away.


Sport & Tourism

There are three association football teams in the Welsh football league system on the island,
Holyhead Hotspur Holyhead Hotspur Football Club () is a football club based in Holyhead, Anglesey playing in the Cymru North. The team's first choice strip is burgundy shirts, burgundy shorts and white socks. The second choice strip is all blue. Holyhead Ho ...
, Caergybi and Trearddur Bay. The New Oval ground is home to the
Ynys Môn football team The Ynys Môn football team represents the island of Anglesey at the biennial Island Games. An island county within Wales, Ynys Môn is not a member of FIFA or UEFA and plays under the auspices of the Football Association of Wales, the gover ...
and hosted the finals of the
2019 Inter Games Football Tournament The 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament was an association football tournament which was held between 15 and 22 June 2019 in Anglesey, Wales. It was organised due to the hosts of the 2019 Island Games, Gibraltar being unable to run a tournament ...
. There is also a rugby union side and a golf course. Holyhead Park contains lawn bowling greens, three public tennis courts and a skate park. Like the rest of Anglesey, owing to its exposed location in the Irish Sea,
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...
is popular. Many people staying on Holy Island do so short term whilst waiting for the ferries to Dublin Port. As such the largest hotels ( Travelodge and Premier Inn) are located close to the A5/A55 roads. Centred in Holyhead but dotted around the island (especially Trearddur Bay and
Rhoscolyn Rhoscolyn is a village and Community (Wales), community located on Holy Island, Anglesey, Wales. It is just over five miles south of Holyhead and is the most southerly settlement on the island. The name Rhoscolyn is said to mean "The Moor" ''(Rho ...
) are quite a number of smaller bed and breakfast hotels and caravan parks for people who may wish to stay longer. Attractions in the area include
South Stack Lighthouse The South Stack Lighthouse is built on the summit of a small island off the north-west coast of Holy Island, Anglesey, Wales. It was built in 1809 to warn ships of the dangerous rocks below. History The lighthouse has warned passing ships of t ...
and the
RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...
reserve close by, the Breakwater Country Park, the
RNLI The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways. It i ...
museum and walks up Holyhead Mountain.


Schools and Governance

There are six primary schools and one
secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
, Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi, which lays claim to being the first
Comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...
in England & Wales. Tertiary education can be found at
Bangor University , former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007) , image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg , image_size = 250px , caption = Arms ...
, some away on the Welsh mainland. Along with the rest of Anglesey Holy Island is part of the Ynys Môn UK Parliament constituency and the Ynys Môn Senedd constituency. At a local level it is run by Isle of Anglesey County Council. Holy Island returns 6 of the 30 councillors to the county council, 3 for
Caergybi Holyhead (,; cy, Caergybi , "Cybi's fort") is the largest town and a community in the county of Isle of Anglesey, Wales, with a population of 13,659 at the 2011 census. Holyhead is on Holy Island, bounded by the Irish Sea to the north, and i ...
(Holyhead town centre and surrounds) and 3 for Ynys Gybi (the southern extremes of Holyhead town and the more rural south). Holyhead Town Council is made up of seven electoral wards who return 16 councillors and appoint a mayor and deputy mayor annually.


References


External links


Holy Island protected site
{{Islands of Anglesey