Pleasant and informative walk around Biwmares

28 walkers turned up for a pleasant and informative four-mile circular walk around Biwmares, Ynys Môn on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

It was led by club member Elaine Roberts, who was born and bred in the town.

Biwmares was once a Viking settlement known as Porth y Wygyr (Port of the Vikings).

In 1295, having killed Llywelyn 11, the last true prince of Wales, and to try and stop further Welsh uprisings, Edward 1 built a castle on a marsh.

The Norman-French builders called it beaux marais (fair marsh).

In an act of ethnic cleansing, local residents were forced to move from Llanfaes to a new settlement King Edward called Newborough and settlers were brought in from England.

Only English and Norman-French residents had rights.

The native Cymry of Biwmares were banned from holding civic office, carrying any weapon and holding assemblies.

They were not allowed to buy houses or land within the borough.

From our starting point, we passed Beaumaris Court, where English justice was dispensed between 1614 and 1971, with Welsh-speaking defendants at a distinct disadvantage.

On to Mountfield where the guide dogs ran free ran, overlooking a former seawater lido.

We then walked up to the ancient settlement of Llanfaes passing the old Cammel Laird factory which once was one of the island’s biggest employers.

We then passed St Catherine’s Church before entering Henllys Golf Course where we stopped for our lunch break.

After lunch we made our way down Henllys Lane back into Biwmares passing through the grounds of St Mary’s Church.

We made our way towards Biwmares Jail where a total of two people were hung and buried vertically within its walls; the last hanging was in 1862.

Elaine then led us back along the coastal path to our pick-up point, passing the pier and the Bulkeley Hotel and Terrace, connected to Queen Victoria.