Anglesey (pop. 68,878) is the largest island in England and Wales. It lies in the Irish Sea off the northwest coast of Wales. The people of Wales once called the island Môn Mam Cymru (Anglesey, Mother of Wales) because it was a rich grain-producing area that sustained the nation. Historians believe that Norse invaders in the 900’s first used the name Anglesey. The modern Welsh name for the island is Ynys Môn.
People have lived on Anglesey for thousands of years. Ancient burial chambers and prehistoric remains lie scattered along the coastline. Two bridges across the Menai Strait connect Anglesey to the Welsh mainland. The busy ferry port of Holyhead is Anglesey’s largest town. The island consists of low farmland, marshes, rocky outcrops, and beaches. Sheep and cattle are raised throughout Anglesey.
The Anglesey village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch has the world’s longest place name, with 58 letters. In Welsh, it means St. Mary’s Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio of the red cave. Locally, the name is usually shortened to Llanfairpwll or Llanfair.
