|
People have been living in Llanfairpwll since the Neolithic period (4,000-2,000BC). Agriculture was the mainstay of the economy for most of that time, and until the present century most of the farmers were tenants of the great estates. In 1844, for example, 92% of the land in Llanfairpwll was owned by just 3 individuals.
For centuries, Llanfairpwll was a small rural settlement. In 1563 there were only 80 people living here, in 16 dwellings. By 1801, however, there were 385 inhabitants and 83 houses, most of them in the old village (Pentre Uchaf, Upper Village).
This exciting period saw the establishment of a Post Office, two schools, half a dozen pubs, a brewery, a hotel for visitors, and (by 1889) 12 grocers in the village, which now had a population of 961. Around 1894 a livestock mart began to be held, and in the nearby harbour of Pwllfanogl a slate factory was opened.
The period 1850-1914 was therefore a golden age in the economic history of the village. Llanfairpwll was one of the few parishes in Anglesey (and indeed in rural Wales as a whole) which saw an increase in its population. However, the period after 1918 was a difficult one. When the soldiers came home from the Great War, emigration and unemployment were the great problems facing them. There was a drop in population, and no increase occurred again until 1951.
In the 1960s and 1970s the "new" village began to appear. There was extensive building on various sites, and the population exploded from 1,172 in 1961 to 3,101 in 1991. Llanfairpwll still retains its village atmosphere, even though there are more people living there than in many other towns in Wales.
To know more about the history of the Railway station have a look at our 'Places to Visit' page.
Originally called Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll, which means 'The Mary Church by the pool near the White Hazels' the village was renamed in the 19th century. Why ? |
Major changes came in the last century as a result of the construction of Thomas Telford's new road in the 1820s and the arrival of the railway crossing at Britannia Bridge at the beginning of the 1850s, which led to the development of a new part of the village (Pentre Isaf, Lower Village) around the railway station. As a result, a number of craftsmen, traders and shopkeepers moved into the village, and Llanfairpwll became an important commercial centre, serving the surrounding agricultural areas of Llanedwen and Penmynydd.
Sponsors : You could advertise here ! - contact URLease.com
a www.longestintheworld.com project
© 1997-2021 All rights reserved