Benllech

Benllech

The sands at Benllech from the headland above Beach Road
Benllech
 Benllech shown within Anglesey
OS grid referenceSH518828
CommunityLlanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf
Principal areaAnglesey
Ceremonial countyIsle of Anglesey
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town TYN-Y-GONGL
Postcode district LL74
Dialling code 01248
Police North Wales
Fire North Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK ParliamentYnys Môn
List of places
UK
Wales
Anglesey

Coordinates: 53°19′18″N 4°13′33″W / 53.3216°N 4.2257°W / 53.3216; -4.2257

Benllech is a small town on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. It is in the community of Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf,[1] which has a population of 3,382, making it the 5th largest town by population on the island.[2] The name of Benllech village had been removed by the time of the 2011 census with the community being listed under Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf with the electoral ward being listed under Llanddyfnan.

The name Benllech is perhaps a mutated form of penllech, literally "head slab" or "head rock", i.e. "capstone" or "head of the rock",[3] or possibly meaning 'on slate', shortened from the Welsh term 'ar ben llech'.

Benllech is a popular beach holiday destination. Winner of the European Blue Flag award since 2004, the beach shelves and has an abundance of clean yellow sand and looks out toward the Great Orme and Penmon Point. The Anglesey Coastal Path and Wales Coast Path pass through Benllech. The village won the 'tidiest village on Anglesey' competition in the years 1973–79 and was also awarded a Civic Trust Award which recognises the very best in architecture, design, planning, landscape and public art. The award was given to projects of the highest quality design, which have made a positive cultural, social and economic contribution to the local community.

The village has a range of businesses which include public houses and hotels, camping and caravan sites and several bed and breakfasts. The community has a primary school, Ysgol Goronwy Owen; library, doctors' surgery, chemist, several churches, community centre, police and fire station, tennis court and bowling green, and most recently a Tesco Express supermarket. Between 1909 and 1950 there was a railway station close to the village which was the terminus of the Red Wharf Bay branch line. The old station house still exists and several railway bridges can be seen along the road approaching the village.

Notable residents

Location

Benllech is located approximately 8 miles along the A5025 coast road from both bridges to the mainland and the A55 North Wales Expressway. The nearest mainline railway station is Llanfairpwllgwyngyll which can be reached in under half an hour on the bus services which run through the village or under 20 minutes by car. The City of Bangor is less than half an hour's drive away. The Royal Mail postal code for the area is LL74.

References

  1. Ordnance Survey : Election Maps : Isle of Anglesey Retrieved 2009-08-18
  2. Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Isle of Anglesey Retrieved 2009-08-18
  3. BBC Wales: What's in a name?
  4. Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel; Menna, Baines; Lynch, Peredur I., eds. (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 638. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
  5. "Lemmy: Lead singer of the heavy metal band Motorhead". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 June 2011.

External links

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