Anglesey: The Concise History (university Of Wales Press - Histories Of Wales)

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This volume traces the island's rich history as the last stronghold of the druids, through its strategic significance during the Edwardian conquest in medieval times, Telford's major achievement in building the Menai Suspension Bridge, to the cultural and linguistic challenges of the late twentieth century. The concept of ‘love of one’s region’ has always had a special resonance for the people of Wales. It has inspired poets, writers and historians through the centuries and it has enriched our appreciation and understanding of the colourful diversity of our local and regional culture and heritage. The author has an intimate knowledge of the region and has the ability to interpret and communicate that knowledge in a lively and concise style to students, scholars and tourists alike.

E-Book Content

i ANGLESEY MONPRE11.PM5 1 6/24/2005, 10:31 AM ii MONPRE11.PM5 Anglesey - The Concise History 2 6/24/2005, 10:31 AM Hawlfraint © Copyright Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn / Anglesey County Council iii THE HISTORIES OF WALES SERIES EDITOR: CATRIN STEVENS ANGLESEY THE CONCISE HISTORY DAVID A. PRETTY UNIVERSITY OF WALES PRESS CARDIFF 2005 MONPRE11.PM5 3 6/24/2005, 10:31 AM iv Anglesey - The Concise History © David A. Pretty, 2005 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 0-7083-1943-2 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without clearance from the University of Wales Press, 10 Columbus Walk, Brigantine Place, Cardiff, CF10 4UP. www.wales.ac.uk/press The right of David A. Pretty to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Printed in Malta by Gutenberg Press, Tarxien MONPRE11.PM5 4 6/24/2005, 10:31 AM v i Lynwen, Eurliw a Cerian, i gofio’r hafau ar draethau Môn MONPRE11.PM5 5 6/24/2005, 10:31 AM This page intentionally left blank MONPRE11.PM5 6 6/24/2005, 10:31 AM vii CONTENTS Series Editor’s Preface Acknowledgements ix xi I Prehistoric Times to Middle Ages 1 II The Tudor Period 32 III The Stuart Age 44 IV The Eighteenth Century 56 V The Nineteenth Century 77 VI The Twentieth Century and Beyond 116 Select Bibliography Index 157 159 MONPRE11.PM5 7 6/24/2005, 10:31 AM viii Anglesey - The Concise History This page intentionally left blank MONPRE11.PM5 8 6/24/2005, 10:31 AM ix Series Editor’s Preface The concept of brogarwch (love of one’s region) has always had a special resonance for the people of Wales. It has inspired poets, writers and historians through the centuries and it has enriched our appreciation and understanding of the colourful diversity of our local and regional culture and heritage. This series, The Histories of Wales, dedicated to these diverse regions, counties, cities and towns, is intended to further enhance ties of loyalty and attachment and to celebrate their individual characteristics and aspirations. The post-war Crwydro … (Wandering …) and the more recent Nabod Bro (Knowing One’s Region) series have succeeded to some extent in fulfilling the Welsh speakers’ needs for such a series but they have been inaccessible to the non-Welsh langu