Llŷn Peninsula
The Llŷn Peninsula is a peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales, with an area of about, and a population of at least 20,000. It extends into the Irish Sea, and its southern coast is the northern boundary of the Tremadog Bay inlet of Cardigan Bay. The peninsula was a cantref within the medieval kingdom of Gwynedd, and became part of Caernarfonshire from 1284 until that county was abolished for administrative purposes in 1974. It borders Arfon and Eifionydd to the east, but the boundary is vague.
Historically, the peninsula was travelled by pilgrims en route to Bardsey Island, and its relative isolation has helped to conserve the Welsh language and culture, for which the locality is now famous. This perceived remoteness from urban life has lent the area an unspoilt image which has made Llŷn a popular destination for both tourists and holiday home owners. Holiday homes remain contentious among locals, many of whom feel they are priced out of the housing market by incomers. From the 1970s to the 1990s, a group known as Meibion Glyndŵr claimed responsibility for several hundred arson attacks on holiday homes using incendiary devices, some of which took place in Llŷn.
The Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers approximately.
Etymology
The name Llŷn is sometimes spelled Lleyn in English, although this spelling is now less common. The name is thought to be of Irish origin, and to have the same root – Laigin in Irish – as the word Leinster and which also occurs in Porth Dinllaen on the north coast.History
Following the death of Owain Whitetooth, king of Gwynedd, Owain's son Saint Einion seems to have ruled Llŷn as a kingdom separate from his brother Cuneglasus' kingdom in Rhos. He is credited with having sponsored Saint Cadfan's monastery on Bardsey Island, which became a major centre of pilgrimage during medieval times. There are numerous wells throughout the peninsula, many dating back to the pre-Christian era. Many have holy connotations and they were important stops for pilgrims heading to the island.The Welsh Triads record regional resistance to Edwin of Northumbria's incursions into Gwynedd by a regional ruler Belyn ap Cynfelyn and his Gosgordd who were allied with Cadwallon ap Cadfan. In subsequent years Llŷn was raided by vikings, most notably by Olaf in the late 10th century.
The most rural parts are characterised by small houses, cottages and individual farms, resembling parts of south west Ireland. There are small compact villages, built of traditional materials. The only large-scale industrial activities were quarrying and mining, which have now largely ceased. The granite quarries of northern Llŷn have left a legacy of inclines and export docks and were the reason for the growth of villages such as Llithfaen and Trefor. Copper, zinc and lead were mined around Llanengan, while of manganese were produced at Y Rhiw between 1894 and 1945. The Penrhyn Dû Mines have also been extensively mined since the seventeenth century around Abersoch. Shipbuilding was important at Nefyn, Aberdaron, Abersoch and Llanaelhaearn, although the industry collapsed after the introduction of steel ships from 1880. Nefyn was also an important herring port, and most coastal communities fished for crab and lobster.
Farming was originally simple and organic but underwent major changes after the Second World War as machines came into widespread use. Land was drained and fields expanded and reseeded. From the 1950s onwards, extensive use was made of artificial fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, leading to drastic changes in the appearance of the landscape.
Tourism developed after the railway to Pwllheli was built in 1867. The town expanded rapidly, with several large houses and hotels constructed, and a tramway was built linking the town to Llanbedrog. After the Second World War, Butlins established a holiday camp at Penychain, which attracted visitors from the industrial cities of North West England and the West Midlands. As car ownership increased, the tourist industry spread to the countryside and to coastal villages such as Aberdaron, Abersoch, Llanbedrog and Nefyn, where many families supplemented their income by letting out rooms and houses.
Medieval administration
During the Middle Ages the cantref of Llŷn was divided into 3 cymydau, those being Dinllaen, Cafflogion and Cymydmaen, with their respective capitals at Din Llaen, Denio and Neigwl. After the Edwardian Conquest some of these settlements became free boroughs like Denio and other like Neigwl faded into obscurity.Geography
Llŷn is an extensive plateau dominated by numerous volcanic hills and mountains. The largest of these is Yr Eifl, although Garn Boduan, Garn Fadrun and Mynydd Rhiw are also distinctive. Large stretches of the northern coast consist of steep cliffs and rugged rocks with offshore islands and stacks, while there are more extensive sandy beaches on the southern coast, such as Porth Neigwl and Castellmarch Beach. North of Abersoch a series of sand dunes have developed. The landscape is divided into a patchwork of fields, with the traditional field boundaries, stone walls, hedgerows and cloddiau, a prominent feature.Geology
The geology of Llŷn is complex: the majority is formed from volcanic rocks of the Ordovician period. Rocks of Cambrian origin occur south of Abersoch. Numerous granite intrusions and outcrops of rhyolite form prominent hills such as Yr Eifl, whilst gabbro is found at the west end of Porth Neigwl. The western part of the peninsula is formed from Precambrian rocks, the majority of which are considered to form a part of the Monian Complex and thus to be closely related to the rocks of Anglesey. Numerous faults cut the area and a major shear zone – the Llyn Shear Zone – runs northeast to southwest through the Monian rocks. In 1984 there was an earthquake beneath the peninsula, which measured 5.4 on the Richter scale and was felt in many parts of Ireland and western Britain.The area was overrun by Irish Sea ice during the ice ages and this has left a legacy of boulder clay and of meltwater channels.