Rhos-on-Sea
Encyclopedia
Rhos-on-Sea also known as Llandrillo-yn-Rhos in Welsh, or Rhos or Llandrillo (not to be confused with Llandrillo, Denbighshire), is a seaside resort
in Conwy County Borough, Wales
. The population was 7,110 in 2001. It is a mile to the north but effectively a suburb
of Colwyn Bay
, on the coast of North Wales
. It is named after the Welsh kingdom of Rhos established there in late Roman
times as a sub-kingdom of Gwynedd
, and later became a cantref (hundred).
quarry
. 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.
(Llan Rhos). 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.
.
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.
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.
, 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 and the weir was ceded to Ednyfed's estate. 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. (This is not the famous pirate of the Caribbean
Captain Henry Morgan
who lived in the century following).
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. 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. 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
.
The fishing weir fell into disuse during World War I
and most traces have disappeared. Trial excavation of the site in 1993 recorded constructions carbon 14-dated between 1500 and 1660.
ap Owain Gwynedd
, a Welsh prince of Gwynedd
, sailed from here in 1170 and discovered America
, over three hundred years before Christopher Columbus
's famous voyage in 1492. This event is recorded by a plaque on one of the properties on the sea-front.
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
in Conwy County Borough, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The population was 7,110 in 2001. It is a mile to the north but effectively a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay
- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
, on the coast of North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. It is named after the Welsh kingdom of Rhos established there in late Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times as a sub-kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, and later became a cantref (hundred).
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 limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
. Ednyfed Fychan
Ednyfed Fychan
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...
, 13th century seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
to Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great , full name Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales...
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
Llys Euryn
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....
of which the ruins of its 15th century reconstruction can be seen today.
St Trillo's Chapel
In Rhos is the 6th century St Trillo's Church, (Llandrillo yn Rhos) which was the mother church of a large parish which included places as far apart as Eglwysbach and Eglwys RhosLlanrhos
Llanrhos is a village to the east and south of Llandudno in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. The Llanrhos parish traditionally includes Deganwy, the Craig-y-Don district of Llandudno, the Little Orme and Penrhyn Bay....
(Llan Rhos). The chapel by the sea is on the site of a pre-Christian, sacred holy well
Holy well
A holy well, or sacred spring, is a small body of water emerging from underground and revered either in a Pagan or Christian context, often both. Holy wells were frequently pagan sacred sites that later became Christianized. The term 'holy well' is commonly employed to refer to any water source of...
; the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
is built directly over the pure water of the well. Saint Trillo
Saint Trillo
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....
, the son of Ithel Hael
Ithel Hael
Ithel Hael or Ithel Hael o Lydaw was a prince of Armorica who lived in the early part of the sixth century. He was the father of Baglan, Flewyn, Gredifael, Tanwg, Twrog, Tegai, Trillo, Tecwyn and Llechid, saints who accompanied Cadvan to Britain....
from Llydaw (Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
) also founded a church at Llandrillo in Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
. Trillo's brother Tygai
Saint Tegai
Saint Tegai is the patron saint and founder of Llandygai in the Welsh county of Gwynedd.According to Enwogion Cymru, Tegai was a saint who lived in the early part of the sixth century He was one of the sons of Ithel Hael, and with his brother Tecwyn accompanied Saint Cadfan from Brittany to Wales...
(Llandygai) founded a church near Penrhyn, Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
; their sister Llechid founded a church (Llanllechid) in the uplands above Penrhyn.
The Parish Church of Llandrillo yn Rhos
Llandrillo yn Rhos Church http://www.walesdirectory.co.uk/his/ch/drillo.htm#location 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. Nevertheless it remains one of the most important historic buildings in North WalesNorth Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
.
The stone lych-gate was built in 1677 and is one of the oldest in the district, the sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
is from the early 18th century.
The graveyard here contains the grave of Harold Lowe
Harold Lowe
Commander Harold Godfrey Lowe RD RNR was the Fifth Officer of the .-Early years:Harold Lowe was born in Eglwys Rhos, Caernarfonshire, North Wales on 21 November 1882, the third of eight children, born to George and Harriet Lowe...
, an officer on the RMS Titanic. He was widely regarded as a hero, helping many to safety with cool nerve and bravery.
Rhos Fynach
In 1186 Llywelyn the Great permitted the establishment of the Cistercian Aberconwy AbbeyAberconwy Abbey
Aberconwy Abbey was a Cistercian foundation at Conwy, later transferred to Maenan near Llanrwst and in the 13th century was the most important abbey in North Wales....
, and the monks built a fishing weir
Fishing weir
A fishing weir, or fish weir, is an obstruction placed in tidal waters or wholly or partially across a river, which is designed to hinder the passage of fish. Traditionally they were built from wood or stones. They can be used to trap fish...
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 and the weir was ceded to Ednyfed's estate. 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
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
, for services rendered against the enemies of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
at sea. (This is not the famous pirate of the Caribbean
Piracy in the Caribbean
] The era of piracy in the Caribbean began in the 16th century and died out in the 1830s after the navies of the nations of Western Europe and North America with colonies in the Caribbean began combating pirates. The period during which pirates were most successful was from the 1690s until the 1720s...
Captain Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
who lived in the century following).
The weir continued to provide a prosperous livelihood through to the early 20th century: during a single night in 1850, 35,000 herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
were caught, and 10 tons of mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
were removed in one tide as late as 1907. Because such weirs decimated inshore fish stocks, Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
banned them in 1861 unless it could be shown they pre-dated the Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
, which the then owners, the Parry Evans family, were able to prove. 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
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
.
The fishing weir fell into disuse during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and most traces have disappeared. Trial excavation of the site in 1993 recorded constructions carbon 14-dated between 1500 and 1660.
Madog and claims for the discovery of America
Perhaps Rhos-on-Sea's greatest claim to fame is that, according to legend, MadogMadoc
Madoc or Madog ab Owain Gwynedd was, according to folklore, a Welsh prince who sailed to America in 1170, over three hundred years before Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492. According to the story, he was a son of Owain Gwynedd who took to the sea to flee internecine violence at home...
ap Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd , in English also known as Owen the Great, was King of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170. He is occasionally referred to as "Owain I of Gwynedd"; and as "Owain I of Wales" on account of his claim to be King of Wales. He is considered to be the most successful of...
, a Welsh prince of Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, sailed from here in 1170 and discovered America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, over three hundred years before Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
's famous voyage in 1492. This event is recorded by a plaque on one of the properties on the sea-front.
Other features
- Rhos-on-Sea also has the first permanent puppet theatrePuppetA puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
to be built in Britain, the Harlequin Puppet Theatre which opened on July 7, 1958 when it won the Civic Trust Award for its design. Founders Eric Bramall and Chris Somerville have also created many puppet programmes for BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
children's television over a forty year period. Many of the puppets created for these television series are now on display at the National Trust Property "Penrhyn Castle". - Coleg Llandrillo CymruColeg Llandrillo CymruColeg Llandrillo Cymru is the largest College in North Wales with around 22,000 learners studying either on campus, in the community, in the workplace or over the Internet....
, the former Llandrillo Technical College - Ysgol Llandrillo yn Rhos, a mixed county primary day school
- The Society of St. Pius XSociety of St. Pius XThe Society of Saint Pius X is an international Traditionalist Catholic organisation, founded in 1970 by the French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre...
operates its only chapel for Welsh Traditionalist Catholics in Rhos-on-Sea. The chapel is located in a renovated Methodist church on Conwy Road.