Welcome to Holyhead

Holyhead (Caerygybi) is located on Holy Island, just off Anglesey in North Wales. It is approximately 267 miles north-west of London and 106 miles north of Aberystwyth.

The town has a population of around 19,000. Administratively it is within the district of Isle of Anglesey which covers an area of approximately 714 sq kms.

Connected to Anglesey by the Stanley Embankment, it is primarily known as a busy ferry port for travellers to Ireland. However this bustling town has an ancient heritage and there are some notable historic sites in the vicinity, including the 3rd-century Caer Gybi Roman fort. It has excellent golfing, fishing and sailing facilities with Holy Island offering spectacular scenery and good sandy beaches, it is popular location with walkers and cyclists and is an ideal base for touring Anglesey.

The town's history dates back to Roman times when they built a fort here and a watchtower on Holyhead Mountain. However, there was a settlement here in prehistoric times with the highest concentration of burial chambers, cirular huts and standing stones in Britain. Archaeological evidence shows that people have sailed betweeen Holyhead and Ireland for the last 4000 years. Holyhead was especially important during the 19th century because its harbour was used by vessels caught in stormy waters on their way to Liverpool and Lancashire's industrial ports. A post road was built in the 19th century for the royal mail to travel from London across to Dublin via Holyhead. The railway arrived in the town in 1850 which led to the Irish Mail returning to the town.

Historically the town's economy was based upon its port. Today, the town is best known for its ferry port and freight harbour. Holyhead's main industry is aluminium based, with Rio-Tinto's Anglesey Aluminium subsidiary operating a massive smelter on the outskirts of the town.There is also a bauxite refining plant near the site. Ships from Jamaica and Australia bring bauxite and aluminium ores into the harbour and these are transported on a conveyor belt which runs under the town to the plants. Tourism is one of the most important industries on the Island. The Anglesey Tourism Survey of 1997/98 confirmed that the industry generates some 1.8 million visits every year to the Island with a visitor spend of around £180 million pounds per annum. The tourism sector is to remain a focus of investment activity