Old and contemporary photographs of the churches and other places of worship in Penmon on Anglesey in North Wales

Churches of the World

High resolution old and contemporary photographs of Churches and other places of Worship in Penmon in the county of Anglesey (Sir Fôn) in North Wales, part of the United Kingdom.

Anglesey, Penmon Priory, Church and Dovecote

Saint Seiriol (of Penmon) and Saint Cybi (of Holyhead) lived in the late 6th centuries and were good friends. Legend has it that they would regularly meet in the centre of the island at Clorach Wells near Llanerchymedd. Because Seiriol always walked with the sun to his back he was nicknamed 'Seiriol Wyn', which translates as 'Fair Seiriol'. Cybi, who always walked with the sun in his face was nicknamed 'Cybi Felen', which translates literally as 'Cybi the Yellow', but in this case means 'Cybi the Tanned'. In a chronicle held at Basingwerk Abbey in Flintshire it states that it was King Maelgwyn of Britain who made the priory at Penmon. Others attribute it to Einon, Prince of Lleyn, who susbsequently appointed his nephew - Seiriol - as the first Abbot.

In the year 971 the church at Penmon - which was made of wood - was burnt down by the Danes, and a stone replacement was built in 1140 during the reign of Owain Gwynedd. By 1414 it had became the Priory Church of Saint Augustine. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries between 1536 and 1540 resulted in the Priory falling into a state of ruin, and it was not until the chancel was rebuilt in the early 1850's that church services began again.

Back to the Anglesey page

You may select from a place name in the left hand column, or search using the box below - tip: inserting the place name may be the quickest way to find your church.

If you have any pictures of the places of worship of any religion in any country, then please scan your photographs or postcards in at a high resolution, but at least 1280 pixels width, and email them to me here.

Not just a photo of the outside of your place of worship, but of the beautiful things inside, and even of the graveyard, and the interesting tombstones.

In addition, if you want to tell us about your church, then we will display your story with the photographs of the place of worship, so as every visitor to your page may learn and appreciate what your church is about.