Llandudno (, ) is a seaside resort, town and
community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
in
Conwy County Borough
Conwy County Borough ( cy, Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy) is a county borough in Wales. It borders Gwynedd to the west and south, and Denbighshire to the east. Other settlements in the county borough include Abergele, Betws-y-Coed, Colwyn Bay, Conwy, ...
, Wales, located on the
Creuddyn peninsula, which protrudes into the
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...
. In the 2011 UK census, the community – which includes
Gogarth
The Great Orme ( cy, Y Gogarth) is a limestone headland on the north coast of Wales, north-west of the town of Llandudno. Referred to as ''Cyngreawdr Fynydd'' by the 12th-century poet Gwalchmai ap Meilyr, its English name derives from the Old N ...
,
Penrhyn Bay
Penrhyn Bay ( cy, Bae Penrhyn "headland bay") is a small town on the northern coast of Wales, in Conwy county borough, within the parish or community of Llandudno, and part of the ''ecclesiastical'' parish of Llanrhos. It is a prosperous village, ...
, Craigside,
Glanwydden
Glanwydden is a small village located between Llandudno and Colwyn Bay in Conwy county borough, north Wales.
Amenities & History
The village has one pub and around 30 houses. It was the centre of the limestone quarry trade in the 17th century ...
, Penrhynside, and
Bryn Pydew
Bryn Pydew is a small settlement to the east of Llandudno Junction in North Wales. The limestone hill of Bryn Pydew reaches 128 metres (420 feet) above sea level. The population is around 451 people. Bodysgallen Hall is nearby.
Bryn Pydew is hom ...
– had a population of 20,701. The town's name means "Church of
Saint Tudno
Saint Tudno () is the patron saint of Llandudno (whose name is derived from his), and founder of the original parish church, located on the Great Orme peninsula.
Origins
Saint Tudno is said to have been one of the seven sons of King Seithenyn, ...
".
Llandudno is the largest seaside resort in Wales, and as early as 1861 was being called 'the Queen of the Welsh Watering Places' (a phrase later also used in connection with
Tenby
Tenby ( cy, Dinbych-y-pysgod, lit=fortlet of the fish) is both a walled seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include of sandy beaches and the Pembroke ...
and
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...
; the word 'resort' came a little later).
Historically
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
a part of
Caernarfonshire
, HQ= County Hall, Caernarfon
, Map=
, Image= Flag
, Motto= Cadernid Gwynedd (The strength of Gwynedd)
, year_start=
, Arms= ''Coat of arms of Caerna ...
, Llandudno was formerly in the
district of Aberconwy
The Borough of Aberconwy was a local government district with borough status from 1974 to 1996, being one of five districts in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales.
History
The borough was created on 1 April 1974, under the Local Governme ...
within
Gwynedd
Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the north-west of Wales. It shares borders with Powys, Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Anglesey over the Menai Strait, and C ...
.
History
![Llandudno, from the parade](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Llandudno%2C_from_the_parade.jpeg)
The town of Llandudno developed from
Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
,
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
and
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
settlements over many hundreds of years on the slopes of the limestone headland, known to seafarers as the
Great Orme
The Great Orme ( cy, Y Gogarth) is a limestone headland on the north coast of Wales, north-west of the town of Llandudno. Referred to as ''Cyngreawdr Fynydd'' by the 12th-century poet Gwalchmai ap Meilyr, its English name derives from the Old N ...
and to landsmen as the Creuddyn Peninsula. The origins in recorded history are with the Manor of Gogarth conveyed by
King Edward I
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
to Annan,
Bishop of Bangor in 1284. The manor comprised three townships, ''Y Gogarth'' in the south-west, ''Y Cyngreawdr'' in the north (with the parish church of St Tudno) and ''Yr Wyddfid'' in the south-east.
Modern Llandudno takes its name from the ancient parish of Saint Tudno but also encompasses several neighbouring townships and districts including
Craig-y-Don,
Llanrhos
Llanrhos (English: 'Church on the moor') is a village in the community of Conwy, in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The village lies between the towns of Conwy and Llandudno. Llanrhos was a civil parish from 1894 until 1974. The area was formerly p ...
and Penrhyn Bay. Also nearby is the small town and marina of
Deganwy
Deganwy (Middle Welsh ''Degannwy'', Brythonic *''Decantouion'') is a town and electoral ward in Conwy County Borough in Wales with a population of 3,936 (2011). It lies in the Creuddyn Peninsula alongside Llandudno (to the north) and Rhos-on-Se ...
and these last four are in the traditional parish of Llanrhos. The ancient geographical boundaries of the Llandudno area are complex: although they are on the eastern side of the
River Conwy (the natural boundary between north-west and north-east Wales), the ancient parishes of Llandudno, Llanrhos and
Llangystennin
Llangystennin (sometimes spelt Llangwstennin) is a rural parish to the south-east of Llandudno and Llanrhos in Conwy County Borough, north Wales.
Llangystennin includes Llangwstennin Hall, the villages of Mochdre, Pabo and Bryn Pydew and the ...
(which includes
Llandudno Junction) were in the medieval
commote
A commote (Welsh ''cwmwd'', sometimes spelt in older documents as ''cymwd'', plural ''cymydau'', less frequently ''cymydoedd'')''Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru'' (University of Wales Dictionary), p. 643 was a secular division of land in Medieval Wales ...
of
Creuddyn in the
Kingdom of Gwynedd
The Kingdom of Gwynedd (Medieval Latin: ; Middle Welsh: ) was a Welsh kingdom and a Roman Empire successor state that emerged in sub-Roman Britain in the 5th century during the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain.
Based in northwest Wales, th ...
, and afterwards part of Caernarfonshire. Today, Deganwy and Llandudno Junction are part of the town community of Conwy even though they are across the river and only linked to Conwy by a causeway and bridge.
Great Orme
![Llandudno-P6180235](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Llandudno-P6180235.JPG)
Mostly owned by Mostyn Estates, the Great Orme is home to several large herds of wild Kashmiri goats originally descended from a pair given by
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
to Lord Mostyn. The summit of the Great Orme stands at 679 feet (207 m). The Summit Hotel, now a tourist attraction, was once the home of world middleweight champion boxer
Randolph Turpin.
The limestone headland is a haven for flora and fauna, with some rare species such as peregrine falcons and a species of wild cotoneaster (''
cambricus'') which can only be found on the Great Orme. The sheer limestone cliffs provide ideal nesting conditions for a wide variety of sea birds, including cormorants, shags, guillemots, razorbills, puffins, kittiwakes, fulmars and numerous gulls.
There are several attractions including the
Great Orme Tramway
The Great Orme Tramway ( cy, Tramffordd y Gogarth) is a cable-hauled gauge tramway in Llandudno in north Wales. Open seasonally from late March to late October, it takes over 200,000 passengers each year from Llandudno Victoria Station to just b ...
and the
Llandudno Cable Car
The Llandudno Cable Car is an attraction in the seaside resort of Llandudno in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The cable car runs along the Great Orme spanning a distance of exactly. The cable car was opened in summer 1969, and has been opera ...
that takes tourists to the summit. The Great Orme also has the longest toboggan run in Britain at 750m long.
Development
![View from the Lighthouse hotel, Llandudno](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/View_from_the_Lighthouse_hotel%2C_Llandudno.jpg)
By 1847 the town had grown to a thousand people, served by the new church of St George, built in 1840. The great majority of the men worked in the copper mines, with others employed in fishing and subsistence agriculture.
In 1848, Owen Williams, an architect and surveyor from
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
, presented Lord Mostyn with plans to develop the marshlands behind Llandudno Bay as a holiday resort. These were enthusiastically pursued by Lord Mostyn. The influence of the Mostyn Estate and its agents over the years was paramount in the development of Llandudno, especially after the appointment of George Felton as surveyor and architect in 1857. Between 1857 and 1877 much of central Llandudno was developed under Felton's supervision. Felton also undertook architectural design work, including the design and execution of Holy Trinity Church in Mostyn Street.
Transport
![Great Orme cable car, Llandudno - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Great_Orme_cable_car%2C_Llandudno_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1406487.jpg)
The town is just off the
North Wales Coast railway line which was opened as the
Chester and Holyhead Railway in 1848. It became part of the
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the L&NWR was the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom.
In 1923, it became a constituent of the Lo ...
in 1859, and part of the
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with LNER, GWR and SR. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway's corporate image used LMS, and this is what is generally u ...
in 1923. Llandudno was specifically built as a mid-
Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
holiday destination and is served by a branch railway line opened in 1858 from
Llandudno Junction with stations at
Deganwy
Deganwy (Middle Welsh ''Degannwy'', Brythonic *''Decantouion'') is a town and electoral ward in Conwy County Borough in Wales with a population of 3,936 (2011). It lies in the Creuddyn Peninsula alongside Llandudno (to the north) and Rhos-on-Se ...
and
Llandudno
Llandudno (, ) is a seaside resort, town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located on the Creuddyn peninsula, which protrudes into the Irish Sea. In the 2011 UK census, the community – which includes Gogarth, Penrhyn Bay, Craigsi ...
. The town is also served by Arriva Buses Wales, with services to Rhyl, Bangor, Caernarfon and The Great Orme Summit. Also there is Llew Jones with services to Betws-y-coed and Llanrwst.
Trams
Present
*
Great Orme Tramway
The Great Orme Tramway ( cy, Tramffordd y Gogarth) is a cable-hauled gauge tramway in Llandudno in north Wales. Open seasonally from late March to late October, it takes over 200,000 passengers each year from Llandudno Victoria Station to just b ...
to the summit of the Great Orme
Former
![Land Train in Gloddaeth Avenue - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Land_Train_in_Gloddaeth_Avenue_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1421594.jpg)
The
Llandudno and Colwyn Bay Electric Railway operated an electric tramway service between Llandudno and
Rhos-on-Sea
Rhos-on-Sea ( cy, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos) is a seaside resort and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 7,593 at the 2011 census. It adjoins Colwyn Bay and is named after the Welsh kingdom of Rhos established there in late ...
from 1907, this being extended to
Colwyn Bay in 1908. The service closed in 1956. In Llandudno the original Tramway went up the middle of Gloddaeth Street and down the North Shore, through Penrhyn Bay and across to Colwyn Bay.
Attractions
Llandudno Bay and the North Shore
![Venue Cymru Llandudno](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Venue_Cymru_Llandudno.jpg)
For most of the length of Llandudno's ''North Shore'' there is a wide curving Victorian promenade. The road, collectively known as The Parade, has a different name for each block and it is on these parades and crescents that many of Llandudno's hotels are built. The ''North Wales Theatre, Arena and Conference Centre'', built in 1994, and extended in 2006 and renamed "
Venue Cymru
Venue Cymru is a theatre, conference centre and arena in Llandudno, Conwy County Borough, North Wales. Formerly known as the Aberconwy Centre and the North Wales Theatre and Conference Centre, it is now a large arts, conference and events ven ...
" is located near the centre of the bay.
Llandudno Pier
![Llandudno Pier from above](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Llandudno_Pier_from_above.jpg)
The
Llandudno Pier
Llandudno Pier is a Grade II* listed buildings in Conwy County Borough, Grade II* listed pier in the seaside resort of Llandudno, North Wales, United Kingdom. At , the pier is the longest in Wales and the fifth longest in England and Wales. In ...
is on the ''North Shore''. Built in 1877, it is a Grade II
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
. The pier was extended in 1884 in a landward direction along the side of what was the Baths Hotel (where the
Grand Hotel A grand hotel is a large and luxurious hotel, especially one housed in a building with traditional architectural style. It began to flourish in the 1800s in Europe and North America.
Grand Hotel may refer to:
Hotels Africa
* Grande Hotel Beir ...
now stands).
Happy Valley
The Happy Valley, a former quarry, was the gift of Lord Mostyn to the town in celebration of the
Golden Jubilee
A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...
of
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
in 1887. The area was landscaped and developed as gardens, two miniature golf courses, a putting green, a popular open-air theatre and extensive lawns. The ceremonies connected with the
Welsh National Eisteddfod
The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...
were held there in 1896 and again in 1963.
Marine Drive
The first route round the perimeter of the Great Orme was a footpath constructed in 1858 by Reginald Cust, a trustee of the Mostyn Estate. In 1872 the Great Ormes Head Marine Drive Co. Ltd. was formed to turn the path into a carriage road. Following bankruptcy, a second company completed the road in 1878. The contractors for the scheme were Messrs Hughes, Morris, Davies, a consortium led by Richard Hughes of Madoc Street, Llandudno. The road was bought by Llandudno Urban District Council in 1897. The one-way drive starts at the foot of the Happy Valley. After about a side road leads to St. Tudno's Church, the Great Orme Bronze Age Copper Mine and the summit of the Great Orme. Continuing on the Marine Drive the Great Orme Lighthouse (now a small hotel) is passed, and, shortly afterwards on the right, the Rest and Be Thankful Cafe and information centre. Below the Marine Drive at its western end is the site of the wartime Coast Artillery School (1940–1945), now a
scheduled ancient monument.
West Shore
The West Shore is a quiet beach on the estuary of the
River Conwy. It was here at Pen Morfa that
Alice Liddell (of ''
Alice in Wonderland
''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...
'' fame) spent the long summer holidays of her childhood.
Mostyn Street
Running behind the promenade is Mostyn Street leading to Mostyn Broadway and then Mostyn Avenue. These are the main shopping streets of Llandudno and Craig-y-Don. Mostyn Street accommodates the high street shops, the major high street banks and building societies, two churches, amusement arcades and the town's public library. The last is the starting point for the Llandudno Town Trail.
Victorian Extravaganza
![Extravaganza-P5011375](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Extravaganza-P5011375.JPG)
Every year in May
bank holiday
A bank holiday is a national public holiday in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and the Crown Dependencies. The term refers to all public holidays in the United Kingdom, be they set out in statute, declared by royal proclamation or held ...
weekend, Llandudno has a three-day Victorian Carnival
[victorian-extravaganza.com]
Welcome to Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza
/ref> and Mostyn Street becomes a funfair. Madoc Street and Gloddaeth Street and the Promenade become part of the route each day of a mid-day carnival parade. The Bodafon Farm fields become the location of a Festival of Transport.
Llandudno Lifeboat
Until 2017, Llandudno was unique within the United Kingdom in that its lifeboat station was located inland, allowing it to launch with equal facility from either the West Shore or the North Shore as needed. In 2017, a new lifeboat station was completed, and new, high-speed, offshore and inshore lifeboats, and a modern launching system, were acquired. This station is close to the paddling pool on North Shore.
Llandudno's active volunteer crews are called out more than ever with the rapidly increasing numbers of small pleasure craft sailing in coastal waters. The Llandudno Lifeboat is normally on display on the promenade every Sunday and bank holiday Monday from May until October.
Places of worship
The ancient parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
dedicated to Saint Tudno
Saint Tudno () is the patron saint of Llandudno (whose name is derived from his), and founder of the original parish church, located on the Great Orme peninsula.
Origins
Saint Tudno is said to have been one of the seven sons of King Seithenyn, ...
stands in a hollow near the northern point of the Great Orme and two miles (3 km) from the present town. It was established as an oratory by Tudno, a 6th-century monk, but the present church dates from the 12th century and it is still used on summer Sunday mornings. It was the Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
parish church of Llandudno until that status was transferred first to St George's (now closed) and later to Holy Trinity Church in Mostyn Street.
Eglwys y Drindod Sanctaidd - Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno, North Wales, Cymru 04.JPG
Eglwys y Drindod Sanctaidd - Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno, North Wales, Cymru 09.JPG
Eglwys y Drindod Sanctaidd - Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno, North Wales, Cymru 13.JPG
Eglwys y Drindod Sanctaidd - Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno, North Wales, Cymru 25.jpg
Eglwys y Drindod Sanctaidd - Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno, North Wales, Cymru 32.JPG
Eglwys y Drindod Sanctaidd - Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno, North Wales, Cymru 33.JPG
The principal Christian Churches of Llandudno are members of Cytûn
Cytûn: Churches Together in Wales (, "agreed"; ) is a national ecumenical organisation of churches in Wales, formed in 1990. It is the successor to the former Council of Churches for Wales. Cytûn's offices are located in Richmond Road, Cardiff.
...
(churches together) and include the Church in Wales
The Church in Wales ( cy, Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru) is an Anglicanism, Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.
The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishop ...
(Holy Trinity and also Saint Paul's at Craig-y-Don), the Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Saint John's Methodist Church
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...
, Gloddaeth United Church (Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
), Assemblies of God (Pentecostal
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement ), Llandudno Baptist Church
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
, St. David's Methodist Church at Craig-y-Don, the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Coptic Orthodox Church ( cop, Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ, translit=Ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos, lit=the Egyptian Orthodox Church; ar, الكنيسة القبطي ...
of Saint Mary and Saint Abasikhiron, and Eglwys Unedig Gymraeg Llandudno (the United Welsh Church of Llandudno). There is also a Christadelphian meeting hall in the town.
A member of the local Methodist community is Roger Roberts, now Lord Roberts of Llandudno, Liberal Democrat Spokesman for International Development
International development or global development is a broad concept denoting the idea that societies and countries have differing levels of economic or human development on an international scale. It is the basis for international classifications ...
in the House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...
.
Llandudno is home to a Jewish centre in Church Walks, which serves the local Jewish population – one of few in North Wales. There is also a Buddhist centre, Kalpa Bhadra, on Mostyn Avenue in Craig-y-Don.
Sports
The town is host to Llandudno F.C. who currently compete in the Cymru North, the second tier of Welsh football, but the team have previously competed in the top level Cymru Premier. The club plays home matches at Maesdu Park and competed in the Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL, or sometimes, UEFA EL), formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. It ...
in 2016.
The town is also host to Llandudno Albion, who currently play in the third tier of Welsh football, and Llandudno Amateurs, who play in the fourth tier.
Football in Llandudno dates back to 1878 when a club known as Gloddaeth Rovers for around a decade. Gloddaeth Rovers were then replaced by Llandudno Swifts as the towns main club. Following the demise of Swifts in 1901, a new club, Llandudno Amateurs were formed.
A football club is mentioned in Llandudno as far back as 1865.
Llandudno Rugby Club also plays in the town and was established in 1952.
There are also local pool, snooker and domino tournaments.
Demography
The 2011 census counted 20,701 usual residents of which 50.8% were born in Wales and 40.7% in England.
Governance
There are two tiers of local government covering Llandudno, at community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
(town) level and principal area (county borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control, similar to the unitary authorities created since the 1990s. An equivalent ter ...
) level: Llandudno Town Council and Conwy County Borough Council. Llandudno is now divided into five electoral wards
The wards and electoral divisions in the United Kingdom are electoral districts at sub-national level, represented by one or more councillors. The ward is the primary unit of English electoral geography for civil parishes and borough and distri ...
: Craig-y-Don, Gogarth, Mostyn, Penrhyn Penryn is a Cornish word meaning 'headland' that may refer to:
*Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom, a town of about 7,000 on the Penryn River
**Penryn railway station, a station on the Maritime Line between Truro and Falmouth Docks, and serves the to ...
and Tudno. The wards elect county councillors to Conwy County Borough Council and four community councillors each to Llandudno Town Council.
Administrative history
In 1854 Llandudno was made an Improvement Commissioners District
Improvement is the process of a thing moving from one state to a state considered to be better, usually through some action intended to bring about that better state. The concept of improvement is important to governments and businesses, as well a ...
. The district covered part of the ancient parish of Llandudno and part of the neighbouring parish of Eglwysrhos. In 1894 the improvement commissioners were replaced by Llandudno Urban District Council
In England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected urban district council (UDC), which shared local gove ...
. This was a lower-tier council, with Caernarfonshire
, HQ= County Hall, Caernarfon
, Map=
, Image= Flag
, Motto= Cadernid Gwynedd (The strength of Gwynedd)
, year_start=
, Arms= ''Coat of arms of Caerna ...
County Council providing county-level services. The urban district council built Llandudno Town Hall
Llandudno Town Hall ( cy, Neuadd y Dref Llandudno) is a municipal structure in Lloyd Street, Llandudno, Wales. The town hall, which serves as the meeting place of Llandudno Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.
History
The first town h ...
to serve as its headquarters in 1902. In 1974 the urban district was abolished, with the area becoming a community within the Aberconwy district in the new county of Gwynedd
Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the north-west of Wales. It shares borders with Powys, Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Anglesey over the Menai Strait, and C ...
. Further local government reform in 1996 saw the area become part of the principal area of Conwy County Borough.
Llandudno falls under the UK parliamentary constituency of Aberconwy, whose MP is the Conservative Robin Millar
Robin John Christian Millar, CBE (born 18 December 1951) is an English record producer, musician and businessman, known variously as 'The Original Smooth Operator', 'The man behind Sade', and 'Golden Ears' Boy George. He was born in London to ...
, and the Senedd constituency of Aberconwy, whose MS is the Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders
Janet Elizabeth Finch-Saunders (born 1958) is a Welsh Conservative Party politician. She is the Member of the Senedd for the Aberconwy constituency.
Political career
Janet previously represented the Craig-Y-Don ward on Llandudno Town Cou ...
. It falls under the North Wales electoral region.
Links with Wormhout and Mametz
Llandudno is twinned with the Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
town of Wormhout from Dunkirk
Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.[Territorial
A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal.
In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...]
Regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
were ambushed and taken prisoner. Later, at nearby Esquelbecq
Esquelbecq (; from ) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
Its southern limit with Ledringhem is ''chemin de Rubrouck''.
Heraldry
History
In 1436, Wautier de Ghistelles was ''seigneur d'Ekelsbeke et de Ledringhem'' (Lord ...
on 28 May 1940, the prisoners were shot.
The 1st (North Wales) Brigade was headquartered in Llandudno in December 1914 and included a battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, which had been raised and trained in Llandudno. During the 1914–18 war this Brigade, a major part of the 38th Welsh Division, took part in the Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place bet ...
and the Brigade was ordered to take Mametz Wood
The Mametz Wood Memorial commemorates an engagement of the 38th (Welsh) Division of the British Army during the First Battle of the Somme in France in 1916.
The memorial
The memorial, erected in 1987 by Welsh sculptor David Petersen, is a ...
. Two days of fighting brought about the total destruction of Mametz village by shelling. After the war, the people of Llandudno (including returning survivors from the 38th Welsh Division) contributed generously to the fund for the reconstruction of the village of Mametz.
Cultural connections
Llandudno hosted the Welsh National Eisteddfod
The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...
in 1864, 1896 and 1963, and in 2008 welcomed the Urdd
Urdd Gobaith Cymru () (known as the Urdd) is a national voluntary youth organisation, which claimed over 56,000 members in 2019 aged between 8 and 25 years old. It provides opportunities for children and young people across Wales to take part ...
National Eisteddfod to Gloddaeth Isaf Farm, Penrhyn Bay
Penrhyn Bay ( cy, Bae Penrhyn "headland bay") is a small town on the northern coast of Wales, in Conwy county borough, within the parish or community of Llandudno, and part of the ''ecclesiastical'' parish of Llanrhos. It is a prosperous village, ...
. The town also hosted the Liverpool Olympic Festival in 1865 and 1866.
Matthew Arnold gives a vivid and lengthy description of 1860s Llandudno – and of the ancient tales of Taliesin
Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the '' Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to have sung at the courts ...
and Maelgwn Gwynedd
Maelgwn Gwynedd ( la, Maglocunus; died c. 547Based on Phillimore's (1888) reconstruction of the dating of the ''Annales Cambriae'' (A Text).) was king of Gwynedd during the early 6th century. Surviving records suggest he held a pre-eminent position ...
that are associated with the local landscape – in the first sections of the preface to ''On the Study of Celtic Literature'' (1867). It is also used as a location for dramatic scenes in the stage play and film '' Hindle Wakes'' by Stanley Houghton, and the 1911 novel, '' The Card'', by Arnold Bennett
Enoch Arnold Bennett (27 May 1867 – 27 March 1931) was an English author, best known as a novelist. He wrote prolifically: between the 1890s and the 1930s he completed 34 novels, seven volumes of short stories, 13 plays (some in collaboratio ...
, and its subsequent film version
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
.
Elisabeth of Wied
Pauline Elisabeth Ottilie Luise of Wied (29 December 18432 March 1916) was the first queen of Romania as the wife of King Carol I from 15 March 1881 to 27 September 1914. She had been the princess consort of Romania since her marriage to then- ...
, the Queen Consort of Romania and also known as writer Carmen Sylva, stayed in Llandudno for five weeks in 1890. On leaving, she described Wales as "a beautiful haven of peace". Translated into Welsh as "''hardd'', ''hafan'', ''hedd''", it became the town's official motto.
Other famous people with links to Llandudno include the Victorian statesman John Bright and multi-capped Welsh international footballers Neville Southall, Neil Eardley
Neal James Eardley (born 6 November 1988) is a former Wales international footballer who last played for Cymru Premier champions Connah’s Quay Nomads. He represented Wales at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels, before winning the fir ...
, Chris Maxwell and Joey Jones. Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n ex-Prime Minister Billy Hughes
William Morris Hughes (25 September 1862 – 28 October 1952) was an Australian politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Australia, in office from 1915 to 1923. He is best known for leading the country during World War I, but ...
attended school in Llandudno. Gordon Borrie
Gordon Johnson Borrie, Baron Borrie, (13 March 1931 – 30 September 2016) was an English lawyer and Labour Party life peer.
Born in Croydon, he was educated at John Bright Grammar School, Llandudno, North Wales. A lawyer by training, he practi ...
QC (Baron Borrie), Director General of the Office of Fair Trading from 1976 to 1992, was educated at the town's John Bright Grammar School
Ysgol John Bright is a secondary school on Maesdu Road, Llandudno in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It was founded with money and support from the social reformer John Bright, whose son died in Llandudno in 1864. Until 1969 the school was a select ...
when he lived there as a wartime evacuee.
The international art gallery ''Oriel Mostyn
Mostyn is a public art gallery in Llandudno, North Wales. It was previously called Oriel Mostyn ('Oriel' is Welsh for 'Gallery') but was rebranded as simply Mostyn following its 2010 revamp.
Background
The roots of the gallery started with a Miss ...
'' is in Vaughan Street next to the post office. It was built in 1901 to house the art collection of Lady Augusta Mostyn. It was requisitioned in 1914 for use as an army drill hall and later became a warehouse, before being returned to use as an art gallery in 1979. Following a major revamp the gallery was renamed simply 'Mostyn' in 2010.
Llandudno has its own mini arts festival LL''AWN' (Llandudno Arts Weekend) which has been running for the past three years (''LL''AWN''01'' −2013, ''LL''AWN''02 – 2014'', ''LL''AWN''03 – 2015''). ''LLAWN'' is a mini festival that rediscovers and celebrates Llandudno’s past in rather a unique way; via art, architecture, artefact, sound, performance, and participation. The festival takes place over three days of the weekend in late September, originally conceived as a way to promote what those in the hospitality sector refer to as the ‘shoulder season’, which means a lull in the tourist calendar. The festival is supported by Arts Council Wales, Mostyn Estates, Conwy County Borough Council, MOSTYN and Llandudno Town Council.
In January 1984 '' Brookside'' character Petra Taylor
Petra Taylor is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Brookside (TV series), Brookside'', played by Alexandra Pigg. One of the show's original characters, Petra debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 23 Novembe ...
(Alexandra Pigg
Alexandra Pigg (born Sandra McKibbin; 1962) is a British actor, actress who first came to prominence as Petra Taylor in the TV soap opera ''Brookside (TV series), Brookside''. Her best-known film appearances are as Elaine in ''Letter to Brezhnev' ...
) committed suicide in Llandudno.
In 1997, the English cookery programme "Two Fat Ladies
''Two Fat Ladies'' was a British cooking programme starring Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright. It originally ran for four series and twenty-four episodes, from 9 October 1996 to 28 September 1999, being produced by Optomen Televisio ...
" with Jennifer Patterson
Jennifer Mary Paterson (3 April 1928 – 10 August 1999) was a British celebrity cook, author, actress and television personality who appeared on the television programme ''Two Fat Ladies'' (1996–1999) with Clarissa Dickson Wright. Prior to th ...
and Clarissa Dickson Wright
Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson Wright (24 June 1947 – 15 March 2014) was an English celebrity cook, television personality, writer, businesswoman, and former barrister. She was be ...
shot an episode in Llandudno.
The fictional town of Spikemuth in the Pokémon
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of ...
video games Pokémon Sword and Shield is modelled after Llandudno.
Notable people
:''See :People from Llandudno''
* Augusta Mostyn (1830–1912) philanthropist and photographer, lived in Gloddaeth Hall
Gloddaeth Hall originated as a large country house in Llandudno, Caernarfonshire (now Conwy), Wales. It is designated by Cadw as a
Grade I listed building. It stands on land which had been owned by the Mostyn family since the 15th  ...
* Martha Hughes Cannon (1857–1932) a Utah State Senator, physician, women's rights advocate and suffragist
* Dion Fortune (1890–1946) occultist, ceremonial magician, novelist and author.
* Margaret Lacey
Margaret Brackenbury Lacey (26 October 1911 – 4 October 1988) was a British character actress and ballet teacher. She appeared in over 30 films between 1957 and 1985, usually playing a sweet old lady or motherly figure in minor roles.
Early ...
(1911–1988) character actress and ballet teacher.
* Sylvia Sleigh
Sylvia Sleigh (8 May 1916 – 24 October 2010) was a Welsh-born naturalised American realist painter who lived and worked in New York City. She is known for her role in the feminist art movement and especially for reversing traditional g ...
(1916–2010) naturalised American realist painter, worked in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
* Peter Brinson
Peter Neilson Brinson (6 March 1920 – 7 April 1995) was a British writer and lecturer on dance. At various times he was a film-maker, writer, and academic, and did much to raise the profile of dance education in Britain and elsewhere.
Biography ...
(1920–1995) writer and lecturer on dance.
* Jeremy Brooks
Jeremy Brooks (17 December 1926 – 27 June 1994) was a novelist, poet, and dramatist. He is best known for his novels (particularl''Jampot Smith'' ''Henry's War'' and ''Smith, As Hero'') and for his stage adaptations of classic works, part ...
(1926–1994) novelist, poet and dramatist, evacuated to Llandudno.
* Roger Roberts, Baron Roberts of Llandudno (born 1935) politician & Methodist minister.
* Ben Johnson (born 1946) painter of detailed cityscapes
* Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles
Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles are a British Rock music, rock band formed in the autumn of 2015 in the area around Llandudno, North Wales and Chester, England.
Background
Billy Bibby names Elvis Presley, Fleetwood Mac, Mark Knopfler of Dire Strait ...
, rock band formed in 2015 around Llandudno.
Sport
* Joey Jones (born 1955) football full-back with 594 club caos and 72 for Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
* Neville Southall (born 1958) footballer with 710 club caps and 92 for Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
* Neal Eardley
Neal James Eardley (born 6 November 1988) is a former Wales international footballer who last played for Cymru Premier champions Connah’s Quay Nomads. He represented Wales at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels, before winning the fir ...
(born 1988) footballer with over 400 club caps and 16 for Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Llandudno.
Individuals
* Neville Southall : September 1993.
* Councillor Philip Evans JP: January 2002
* Terence Davies: 16 April 2018.
Military Units
* RAF Valley: September 1995.
* Llandudno Lifeboat Station, 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 ...
: January 2002.
* 203 (Welsh) Field Hospital
203 (Welsh) Field Hospital is a unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps within the Army Reserve of the British Army, based in Wales. History
The hospital was formed upon the formation of the TAVR in 1967, from the amalgamation of 3rd (Western) Gener ...
(Volunteers) RAMC
The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...
: 19 September 2009.
References
Bibliography
* Ivor Wynne Jones. ''Llandudno Queen of Welsh Resorts'' Landmark, Ashbourne Derbyshire 2002
* Philip C. Evans. "Llandudno Coast Artillery School" Llandudno Town Council 2011
External links
*
A Vision of Britain Through Time
British Listed Buildings
Geograph
Office for National Statistics
{{authority control
Towns in Conwy County Borough
Principal areas of Wales
Populated coastal places in Wales