Rhoscolyn

Rhoscolyn beach

Rhoscolyn is a village located on Holy Island, Anglesey, Wales. It is just over five miles south of Holyhead and is the most southerly settlement on the island. The name Rhoscolyn is said to mean "The Moor" (Rhos) of The Column (colyn), referring to a pillar which the Romans put up to mark the edge of their territories.^[1] The community population taken from the 2011 census was 542.^[2]

A little to the west of the village is a mediaeval well dedicated to St Gwenfaen beside which are the remains of a drystone well house measuring 4.5 m east-west by 5.5 m.^[3] The local church in the village itself is dedicated to the same saint and was first built in the 6th century.^[4][5]

Rhoscolyn is bordered to the south by a small enclosed bay called Borthwen which is bordered by a public beach. There was once a lifeboat station on Borthwen which was open between 1830 and 1929^[6] which has been replaced by a navigational beacon on Ynysoedd Gwylanod (Gulls' Islands). Around these waters at the end of the 18th century was a thriving oyster catching industry, but this declined once the beds had been depleted.^[7] Existing buildings include the local pub, The White Eagle, reportedly a favourite of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge,^[8] and the Ysgol Gynradd Santes Gwenfaen primary school which is found just over a mile north of the village.

Probably the most significant lifeboat incident here was the launch to the Timbo. On December 1, 1920 the small coaster, was en route to Ireland from Holyhead when she was overcome by a storm off South Stack and began to drift down the coast. The lifeboat was launched, with great difficulty in the heavy seas, and made a number of attempts to get a line aboard her, without success, until the cox decided no more could be done and the lifeboat started its return journey, from a point close to Llanddwyn Island. The lifeboat capsized and 5 of the 13 man crew were lost, and, a little later, 4 men from the Timbo as well. The ship eventually became stranded at Dinas Dinlle, was eventually refloated with the use of tugs until she struck the Carreg y Trai (Ebb Rocks) reef off Abersoch and was lost.

External links

• Rhoscolyn Community Website
• Ysgol Gynradd Santes Gwenfaen, Rhoscolyn School
• Photos of Rhoscolyn and surrounding area on geograph

References

1. A gazette entry about the parish found on GENUKI.com
2. "Community population 2011". Retrieved 20 May 2015.
3. A Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales page on the well and wellhouse
4. Hughes, Margaret: Anglesey from the Sea, page 43, Carreg Gwalch, 2001
5. St Gwenfaen parish homepage
6. Some information on the station
7. Hughes, Margaret: Anglesey from the Sea, page 44, Carreg Gwalch, 2001
8. William at 30: an intimate portrait

Coordinates: 53°15′N 4°36′W / 53.250°N 4.600°W