A crucial division between periods in Walsh history - which is known by Welsh people but not so much by incomers - is 1282. The great division took place in 1066 in England but this has less significance in Wales. Here, it's the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in 1282 and his brother in 1283 which marks the time in which Wales was no longer ruled by native princes but was conquered by Edward I.

The Welsh princes would have moved from one dominant site to another. There was a royal court for every six commotes within Anglesey. (A cantref was roughly 100 settlements and a commote was a sub-division of a cantref). Aberffraw is an example of a commote and there lie the ruins of a court at Rhosyr.

They worked on a peripatetic level to avoid drawing on the resources of one area and to allow them to physically be seen and hold court in different locations to emphasise their authority.

In 1283 the centres of power changed to the castles - Conwy, Caernarfon and Beaumaris.

Another important example of medieval archaeology is the earthwork motte fortification at Aberlleinog which dates back to the early attempts and conquering by the Normans.

The 14th century was a period of depression due to the changes in climate. There were many plagues which affected the population and farm animals and there were many crop failures. Then in 1401 there came the Glyndŵr revolt, which again slowed down progression of church and house building in the area.

Then suddenly in the 15th century there came a very busy period of church building. Nearly all the churches show signs of rebuilding at this point - Holyhead church is a great example of this. But the oldest and most impressive of Anglesey's churches is at Penmon. There's also a nice arch in Aberffraw church which dates back to the 12th century, along with the tower at Llanelian church.

There are very few houses which remain from the medieval period, though there is one good example - Havoty in Llansadwrn built in the 15th century. I don't know who lived there first, but it's thought to be the home of the constable for Beaumaris castle. It's now under the protection of CADW.