The shrine of St Cybi at the church in Holyhead was probably the most important saint’s cult on Holy Island in the Middle Ages, but other saints were also venerated on Holy Island, the largest island off the coast of Anglesey. The church at…

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,…

For some 25 years I regularly took students from Bangor University to Ireland. We set off on the Friday afternoon boat from Holyhead and then settled into our lodgings. On Saturday we went south: to the south Dublin tombs, including Brennanstown,…

This is a subject about which little is known, and only a retired academic would be rash enough to take it on. But there are interesting possibilities to consider. That is why I recently wrote a book called Maritime Archaeology on Dry Land. It was…

Whitesands Bay (Porthmawr in Welsh) with its long sandy beach, rolling waves and stunning views, is a world-famous surfing destination, as well as a popular holiday beach. Two miles west of St David’s, it has a long history as a place of arrival and…

Set high up in the Pencaer peninsula to the east of Strumble Head, Carn Wnda is one of six surviving prehistoric chambered tombs located along this headland. To the east of Carn Wnda are the megalithic sites of Parc y Cromlech (Penrhiw), and the…

The first member of the Fenton family to arrive in Fishguard - in the late 18th century - was Lieutenant Samuel Fenton, a naval officer who transformed the fortunes of a fishing village so dependent on the local catch that its inhabitants were known…

About 12 miles from Fishguard lies Craig Rhos-y-felin, a special formation of volcanic stone. Recent archaelogical findings suggest that this is the original quarry location of the bluestones, or dolorite, that make up the smaller, inner circle of…