Llanfair PG
Tourist Information Centre, Isle of Anglesey, LL61 5UJ
Category: Place to Visit
A tongue-twisting village with a colourful history
Due to its unfeasibly long name, this village is known throughout the world. Its full name is Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysiliogogogoch which means ‘The Church of St Mary in the hollow of the white hazel near the rapid whirlpool and the church of St Tysilio near a red cave’. Thankfully, it is usually shortened to Llanfairpwll or Llanfair P.G. The extended name is almost certainly the work of a local tailor who wanted to put the village on the map in the mid 1800’s. One of Llanfairpwll’s unusual claims to fame is that the Women’s Institute movement was founded here in 1915. Nearby is the 90ft Marquess of Anglesey’s Column, built in 1816. He was second in command to the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo and was made Marquess of Anglesey in recognition of his bravery. If you’ve got the energy you can climb the 115 steps up to the Marquess to share his view across the strait to Snowdonia. Today, the seventh Marquess still lives at the magnificent family home of Plas Newydd which is now owned by the National Trust. The house is home to a famous mural painted by Rex Whistler, a military museum, extensive gardens, an adventure playground and a National Trust shop and tea room.