"The last battle of the English Civil War was fought in Beaumaris and, had the Cavaliers won that battle, Beaumaris could have been the capital of Britain. Local landowner Colonel Bulkeley had invited Charles I to rule the kingdom from his home at Baron Hill - but the Roundheads won the battle.
During the late 18th century, the town was the leading Welsh port and 14th largest in Britain, with the goods being imported including tobacco from Maryland, and sugar and ginger from the Caribbean.
The town was infamous for its pirates, with many known pirates living openly in Beaumaris. It was also the favoured landing place for smuggled goods, with the pilot boat Young Tom described as a "very remarkable smuggler for some years".
The oldest surviving domestic building in the town is the Tudor Rose which goes back to the 15th century. The George and Dragon Inn is of the same period and its back wall is part of the old town wall.
At one time, Beaumaris was the administrative and social centre of Anglesey. It had its own MP and the law court and prison were located here, but it began to lose its influence when the Menai Suspension Bridge opened and it lost the traffic to Ireland.
Many of the island's administrative functions were lost to Llangefni, but from the middle of the 19th century Beaumaris had started to capitalise on its excellent location on the banks of the Menai Strait to lure visitors. These days, visitors come to the town to savour its unique atmosphere, full of ancient buildings and narrow streets."
The History of Beaumaris by Iolo Wyn Griffiths is published by Llais Publications at £4.50.
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Sally Sizeland from Bristol
My great grandmother Elizabeth Herbert nee Parry owned a pub in Bunkers Hill, it has been called School Road, Beaumaris, (opposite the entrance to the old gaol), with her husband John Herbert. I think the pub was called The Cheshire Cheese. It is now a cottage recently visited. Does anyone have any information about the pub?
Tue Apr 14 10:19:54 2009
Heul, Aberystwyth
You can get information on Baron Hill at Bangor University Library, it is also mentioned in Thomas Penant's 'Tour of Wales'. I visited the mansion many years ago and took some photos.
Wed Jan 16 09:48:02 2008
Kaye Christian, Llangoed
Whilst walking on Beaumaris beach in between the yacht club and pier we found lots of pieces of both plain and patterned sturdy pottery. Does anyone know why this stretch of beach has so much strewn on it? We wondered if it was where people used to cross from Anglesey to the mainland on foot, or are they from shipwrecks?
Fri Nov 2 11:03:02 2007
Eluned Davies from Llangaffo
A brilliant full colour little book on Beaumaris was published by Magma Books and written & produced by Robert Williams and Philip Steel. Find out more about it on Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn website under 'History' page 'Beaumaris - Potted History'.
Mon Jan 16 16:54:59 2006
Gareth Phillips from Llangoed
I do not think that there is any hard evidence that the town wall forms part of the George and Dragon. The wall seems to have run well to the NE and SW of the pub which would have been well with the walls of the medieval town.
Sat Nov 26 11:33:22 2005
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