Rhos-on-Sea

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Rhos-on-Sea
  • Welsh: Llandrillo-yn-Rhos
St Trillo's Chapel, Rhos-on-Sea - geograph.org.uk - 3056412.jpg
Saint Trillo's Chapel
Conwy UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Rhos-on-Sea
Location within Conwy
Population7,593 (2011)
OS grid reference SH842805
Community
  • Rhos-on-Sea
Principal area
Preserved county
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town COLWYN BAY
Postcode district LL28
Dialling code 01492
Police North Wales
Fire North Wales
Ambulance Welsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Conwy
53°18′32″N3°44′17″W / 53.309°N 3.738°W / 53.309; -3.738

Rhos-on-Sea (Welsh : Llandrillo-yn-Rhos) is a seaside resort and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 7,593 at the 2011 census. [1] It adjoins Colwyn Bay and is named after the Welsh kingdom of Rhos established there in late Roman Britain as a sub-kingdom of Gwynedd. It later became a cantref (hundred).

Contents

History

Bryn Euryn and Llys Euryn

Bryn Euryn is a hill overlooking Rhos-on-Sea on which there are the remains of a hillfort called Dinerth, the 'fort of the bear', and a limestone quarry. [2] Ednyfed Fychan, 13th century seneschal to Llywelyn the Great and ancestor to the House of Tudor was granted the land and built a castle on the hill, of which all traces have disappeared, and a manor, Llys Euryn of which the ruins of its 15th-century reconstruction can be seen today.

Church of Llandrillo yn Rhos

Llandrillo yn Rhos Church was built on the site of Ednyfed Fychan's private chapel and incorporates what was his tombstone, the history of this church goes back to the 13th century, but having been rebuilt over the centuries, the oldest parts of the present church are 15th century. A major restoration was carried out in 1857 and was criticised by some for amounting to 'vandalism', in particular the destruction of an ancient stained glass window. [3] Nevertheless, it remains one of the most important historic buildings in North Wales.

The stone lych-gate was built in 1677 and is one of the oldest in the district; the sundial is from the early 18th century. [4]

The graveyard here contains the grave of Harold Lowe, an officer on the RMS Titanic . He was widely regarded as a hero, helping many to safety with cool nerve and bravery. [5] It also contains war graves of eight service personnel, two of World War I and six of World War II. [6]

Rhos Fynach

In 1186 Llywelyn the Great permitted the establishment of the Cistercian Aberconwy Abbey, and the monks built a fishing weir on the sea shore below Bryn Euryn. The place became known as Rhos Fynach, heath of the monks. In a charter of 1230, Llywelyn sanctioned the purchase by Ednyfed Fychan of land at Rhos Fynach and in 1289, the abbey moved to Maenan (becoming Maenan Abbey), and the weir was ceded to Ednyfed's estate. [7] Eventually Rhos Fynach and the weir came into the hands of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who in 1575 granted it to a Captain Morgan ap John ap David, a privateer, for services rendered against the enemies of Queen Elizabeth I at sea. [8] (This is not the famous pirate of the Caribbean Captain Henry Morgan who lived in the century following). [2]

The weir continued to provide a prosperous livelihood through to the early 20th century: during a single night in 1850, 35,000 herring were caught, and 10 tons of mackerel were removed in one tide as late as 1907. [9] Because such weirs decimated inshore fish stocks, Parliament banned them in 1861 unless it could be shown they pre-dated the Magna Carta, which the then owners, the Parry Evans family, were able to prove. [2] Their estate included Rhos Fynach house, also known as Rhos Farm, on the Promenade near St Trillo's Chapel. The house is now a pub and restaurant. Its date of construction is not known for sure, but it is considered to have been started by the Cistercians before the dissolution of the monasteries. [8]

The fishing weir fell into disuse during World War I and most traces have disappeared. [2] Trial excavation of the site in 1993 recorded constructions carbon 14-dated between 1500 and 1660. [10]

St Trillo's Chapel

The 6th-century St Trillo's Chapel (Welsh : Capel Sant Trillo), which was the mother church of a large parish which included places as far apart as Eglwysbach and Eglwys Rhos (Llan Rhos).

The tiny chapel of Saint Trillo on the foreshore at Rhos-on-Sea Rhos-on-Sea9172201.JPG
The tiny chapel of Saint Trillo on the foreshore at Rhos-on-Sea

The chapel by the sea is on the site of a pre-Christian, sacred holy well; the altar is built directly over the pure water of the well. Saint Trillo, the son of Ithel Hael from Llydaw (Snowdonia) also founded a church at Llandrillo in Denbighshire. Trillo's brother Tygai (Llandygai) founded a church near Penrhyn, Bangor; their sister Llechid founded a church (Llanllechid) in the uplands above Penrhyn.

Trams

The Llandudno and Colwyn Bay Electric Railway operated an electric tramway service between Llandudno and Rhos-on-Sea from 1907 and extended to Colwyn Bay in 1908. The service closed in 1956. [11]

Other features

Governance

The community boundaries are coterminous with the electoral ward of Llandrillo-yn-Rhos, which elects four county councillors to Conwy County Borough Council.

Rhos-on-Sea is also divided into two community wards, of Rhos and Dinarth. Rhos elects up to five councillors and Dinarth elects up to three councillors [13] to the Bay of Colwyn Town Council (which was formed in 1996). [14]

Sport

Colwyn Bay Cricket Club was founded in 1923 and started playing at Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos on Sea in 1924. Glamorgan Cricket has been hosted here since the 1960s. [15]

Notable people

In 1937, after the death of his mother, Jones revisited Rhos. He found it a 'wilderness of villas and bungalows'. The fishing weir had gone (there remain a few stumps), and the chapel was now 'cleared and cared for', but it had 'lost half its numinous feeling'. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llanrwst</span> Welsh market town

Llanrwst is a market town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy, in Conwy County Borough, Wales, and the historic county of Denbighshire. It developed round the wool trade and became known also for the making of harps and clocks. Today, less than one mile from the edge of Snowdonia, its main pursuit is tourism. Notable buildings include almshouses, two 17th-century chapels, and the Parish Church of St Grwst, which holds a stone coffin of Llywelyn the Great. The 2011 census gave it a population of 3,323.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colwyn Bay</span> Town in Conwy County Borough, Wales

Colwyn Bay is a town, community and seaside resort in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea. It lies within the historic county of Denbighshire. Eight neighbouring communities are incorporated within its postal district. Established as its own separate parish in 1844 with just a small grouping of homes and farms where the community of Old Colwyn stands today, Colwyn Bay has expanded to become the second-largest community and business centre in the north of Wales as well as the 14th largest in the whole of Wales with the urban statistical area, including Old Colwyn, Rhos-on-Sea, and Mochdre and Penrhyn Bay, having a population of 34,284 at the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conwy</span> Walled market town in Wales

Conwy, previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on the east bank. The town formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. The community, which also includes Deganwy and Llandudno Junction, had a population of 14,753 at the 2011 census.

The Castle of Dinerth is a Welsh castle located near Aberarth, Ceredigion, west Wales that was completed c. AD 1110. It is also known as Hero Castle, presumably from the Norse hiro.

Ednyfed Fychan, full name Ednyfed Fychan ap Cynwrig, was a Welsh warrior who became Seneschal to the Kingdom of Gwynedd in Northern Wales, serving Llywelyn the Great and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn. Ednyfed claimed descent from Marchudd ap Cynan, Lord of Rhos, 'protector' of Rhodri Mawr, King of Gwynedd. He was the ancestor of Owen Tudor and thereby of the Tudor dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhos (North Wales)</span> Welsh medieval kingdom, later cantref

Rhos is a region to the east of the River Conwy in north Wales. It started as a minor kingdom then became a medieval cantref, and was usually part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd.

Rhos or Rhôs may refer to these places in Wales:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llandrillo yn Rhos</span>

Llandrillo yn Rhos is the name of an electoral ward in Conwy County Borough, Wales. Its boundaries are coterminous with those of the community of Rhos-on-Sea, on the North Wales coast, with the Mochdre and Rhiw wards to the south, Penrhyn ward to the west and Liverpool Bay to the northeast.

Llandrillo may refer to one of the following in Wales:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betws yn Rhos</span> Village in Conwy County Borough, Wales

Betws yn Rhos is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llys Euryn</span>

The ruined remains of Llys Euryn sit upon a wooded shoulder of Bryn Euryn — a limestone hill on the outskirts of Rhos-on-Sea in the county of Conwy, north Wales. Three sides of the building remain, with the remains of interior walls, a complete fireplace and chimney stack rising to around 50 feet, two other fireplaces and windows. More than anything else, its history makes this one of the more intriguing and important historical buildings in north Wales.

Ysgol y Creuddyn is a Welsh-medium secondary school, situated in Penrhyn Bay outside Llandudno, Wales, named after the Creuddyn peninsula. The school was founded on Wednesday, the 2nd of September 1981 with 218 students, and is now home to over 600 students. Students are bilingual, with all subjects taught in the Welsh language up to GCSE level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elian (Welsh saint)</span> Fifth-century saint

Elian was a saint who founded a church in North Wales around the year 450. The parish of Llanelian-yn-Rhos in Conwy County Borough is named after him. The legend of St. Elian says he was related to Isfael and laboured in the missions of Cornwall, England. His feast day is 13 January.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryn Euryn</span>

Bryn Euryn is a hill which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Conwy County Borough, Wales. There is a trig point at the summit. It lies above the seaside town of Rhos-on-Sea and village of Mochdre, Conwy. It is 131 metres above sea level, and is listed as a HuMP. At the bottom of the hill are the remains of Llys Euryn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tudors of Penmynydd</span> Welsh noble family

The Tudors of Penmynydd were a noble and aristocratic family, connected with the village of Penmynydd in Anglesey, North Wales, who were very influential in Welsh politics. From this family arose Owen Tudor and thereby the Welsh Tudor dynasty, that ruled England from 1485 to 1603. The Tudor dynasty ended in the early 17th century with the death of Elizabeth I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Trillo</span> Welsh saint

Saint Trillo is the patron saint and founder of the churches at Llandrillo, Denbighshire and Llandrillo yn Rhos, Rhos-on-Sea in Conwy County Borough, Wales.

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai (GLlM) is an umbrella organisation overseeing the operation of three member colleges in North Wales: Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penrhyn (electoral ward)</span>

Penrhyn is the name of one of the electoral wards in Llandudno, Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is the easternmost of the five town wards and primarily covers the large village of Penrhyn Bay. The Llandudno ward of Craig-y-Don lies to the west, with Llandrillo yn Rhos to the east.

References

  1. ↑ "Community/Ward population 2011" . Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Reid, Ian: "Rhos-on-Sea Heritage Trail". BBC Wales North West website retrieved 7 August 2007.
  3. ↑ Bezzant Lowe, Walter (1912). The Heart of Northern Wales. Llanfairfechan. p. 364.
  4. ↑ Bezzant Lowe, Walter (1912). pp364-366.
  5. ↑ Titanic hero's menu smashes record 2004/04/02 BBC News
  6. ↑ CWGC Cemetery Report. Breakdown obtained from casualty record. Date retrieved 3 February 2013.
  7. ↑ [Bezzant Lowe, Walter (1912): The Heart of Northern Wales. Llanfaifechan. pp369-372.
  8. 1 2 Tucker, Norman (1967). "How Old is Rhos Fynach?" North Wales Weekly News , 6 July 1967.
  9. ↑ Ports and Harbours of the UK: Rhos on Sea. Website retrieved 7 August 2007.
  10. ↑ "CPAT website".
  11. ↑ The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
  12. ↑ "District of Great Britain". District of Great Britain.
  13. ↑ "Town and Community candidates fo[sic] May 3 election". North Wales Pioneer. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  14. ↑ "The Bay of Colwyn Town Council - Background". Bay of Colwyn Town Council. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  15. ↑ uprisevsi.co.uk, upriseVSI. "Colwyn Bay". Glamorgan Cricket. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  16. ↑ The Discovery of America .... by a Welsh Prince. HistoryUk website retrieved 7/8/07.
  17. ↑ David Jones:Engraver, Soldier Painter, Poet. Thomas Dilworth. Jonathan Cape 2017 pp18,19.
  18. ↑ David Jones:Engraver, Soldier Painter, Poet. Thomas Dilworth. Jonathan Cape 2017 p195.
General reference
  • Norman Tucker and Ivor Wynne Jones, Colwyn Bay, Its History Across the Years
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