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A Timeline of the History on Anglesey, North
Wales.
Anglesey has an interesting and ancient history. We have tried
to represent that history as extensively as possible, commenting
not only on the major events, but also on the more interesting
and generally recognised events of the recent past. This section
is new and will be completed as time permits.
Ice Age. Mammoth Find.
In the 1880`s the skull of a mammoth was found in Holyhead Bay, which was once
the location of an ancient forest. Other such forests existed in other parts
of Anglesey. These forests were probably destroyed as a result of the higher
sea levels arising from the ice thawing out. The skull is now on show at the
Maritime History Museum in Holyhead. |
20000 BC. Evidence of man.
There is evidence of mans presence in Britain before the end of glaciation,
but none so far on Anglesey. |
19000 - 13000 BC. Anglesey comes out
of the ice.
After 1000`s of years of being under a cap of ice almost a third of a mile high,
Anglesey emerges from the latest glaciation. |
7000 BC. First evidence of man.
The first evidence of man on Anglesey is confirmed from present day finds at
Aberffraw. |
6000 BC. Hunter Gatherers.
The Mesolithic period. The time of the hunter gatherers. Anglesey man has to
compete for his food with the likes of wolves, bears, and even lions. The
hunter gatherers would seldom stay in the same place for any length of time,
moving between campsites as the season dictated. There are no permanent accommodations,
and thus little evidence survives, and not too much is known of them. Their
sources of food included elk, deer, bison, seafood, berries, and roots. Wildfowl
and eggs provide another plentiful source of food. Their tools would be made
of stone, bone, wood, and flint. Their weapons would be mainly bows and arrows,
knives and spears. |
4000 - 3000 BC. Sea Water Rising.
Large parts of Anglesey man's hunting grounds were disappearing as more and more
land became submerged by still rising sea levels after the glaciations. Later,
even more of their land would effectively disappear as the Neolithic farming
communities brought land under the till. |
3300 - 2000 BC. The First Farmers.
Neolithic Man. Colonists from Europe have brought farming to Anglesey. They are
growing primitive crops and keeping domestic animals. For many years, Mesolithic
and Neolithic man co-existed. The first evidence of what resemble villages
and towns is apparent. It is from this period in time that most of Anglesey's
megalithic tombs belong. |
3000 BC. Occupation at Holyhead.
Modern day finds from the excavations of Trefignath burial chambers at Holyhead
dates occupation of the site to 3000 BC. |
2000 - 1800 BC. The Beaker People.
Excavations of burial sites on Anglesey include finds of cremation remains in
pottery urns. These people became known as the Beaker People. |
2000 - 500 BC. The Bronze Age.
At some stage Anglesey has become a major market place for the gold & bronze
ware of Ireland and the south of England. There is evidence that suggests bronze
was being smelted, and that weapons were actually being made on Anglesey. |
300 BC. The Celts Arrive.
At approximately this time, Celts arrived on Anglesey. They were described as
being fond of war, and barbarously savage. They were said to be intelligent
and quick to learn, and yet high spirited and quick to anger - but not evil
of character. They were a vain people, brightly clothed and often adorned
in gold or bronze neckwear and bracelets. Following a battle it was customary
to behead their dead enemies, later to be displayed on the front of the Celts
houses when they returned home. Many of the craft objects that the Celts
brought with them to Britain were copied by local craftsmen who added their
own local decoration styles. They brought with them the Druids - Celtic priests
- powerful and important men, even politically. Some druids were seers or
diviners, whilst others were bards. Celts worshipped - amongst many other
things - rivers and streams, and many valuable and important objects and
weapons have been recovered from these rivers, into which the Celts would
throw them as offerings to the gods after - for example - a victorious battle. |
150 BC - 60 AD. Llyn Cerrig Bach Hoard.
In 1939, during the building of RAF Valley, the lake at Llyn Cerrig Bach was
drained. A wealth of Celtic offerings to the River/Spring God was uncovered,
dating back to this period. The hoard included a god carved from stone, a
typical Celtic object. There were also gold and bronze ornaments and weapons,
now on show in the National Museum of Wales. An iron slave gang chain designed
to restrain 5 men was also discovered. This possibly implies that the Celts
kept slaves, probably their defeated enemies. |
60 AD. The Romans Invade Anglesey.
Two legions of the Roman army led by Suetonius Paulinus fought and defeated the
Celts on the shores of Porthaethwy (now Menai Bridge). A roman historian
present before the Romans crossed the Menai straits to do battle tells of
the blood curdling screams from the Druids and Celts as they screamed curses
at the Romans across the straits. Many of the Roman soldiers were frozen
with fear. They obviously recovered, as the Celts were cut to ribbons. The
Romans had arrived and would stay for the next 300 plus years. They probably
controlled Anglesey from their stronghold in Segontium (Caernarfon). |
280 - 300 AD. Roman Naval Base built
at Holyhead.
Probably because of the threat of Irish invasion, the Romans built a naval base
at Holyhead. I have certainly read that part of St Cybi`s enclosure was at one
time being used as a garrison. Remains from this same period of the local peoples
accommodations can be clearly seen in the hut circled village of Ty Mawr so well
preserved on Holyhead mountain. |
To be continued........................... |
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