Pwllheli, Carnarvonshire
Historical Description
Pwllheli, a market-town, a seaport, a municipal and contributory parliamentary borough, the head of a poor-law union, petty sessional division, and county court district in Denio parish, Carnarvonshire. The town stands on the E coast of the Lleyn Peninsula, at the mouth of the Penrhog river, and at a terminus of a branch of the Cambrian railway, 7 miles SSE of Nevin, 20 SSW of Carnarvon, and 270 from London. It was chartered by the Black Prince and given by him to Nigel de Lohayren; is governed by a mayor, 4 aldermen, and 12 councillors, and the town' council act as the urban district council. It unites with Carnarvon, Bangor, Conway, Criccieth, and Nevin in sending-a member to Parliament. A sub-port to Carnarvon, it is a rising watering-place, with a very fine beach 4 miles long. The old town is about a quarter of a mile from the sea, but since 1888 hotels and lodging-houses have been erected close-to the sea, and a fine promenade has been made. It is situated amidst charming environs, commanding magnificent views of Cardigan Bay and the mountains of Merionethshire and Carnarvonshire. Pwllheli has a head post office, a station on the Cambrian railway, a town-hall, a sessions hall, a market hall, three banks, a custom-house, reading and newsrooms, a police station, and a workhouse. The parish church, dedicated to St Beuno, is modern, and is situated nearly in the centre of the town. St Peter's Church, erected in 1834, was rebuilt, in 1887. There are Roman Catholic, Baptist,. Calvinistic Methodist, Congregational, and Wesleyan chapels, Markets are held on Wednesday. Fairs are held on ly 13, and 22 May, and 1 and 11 Nov. for hiring; on 18 Feb., 15 March, 28 June, 13 Aug., 24 Sept., and first Wednesday in Dec. for cattle. A considerable inland trade is done with most of Lleyn, and shipbuilding, extensive fishing, and a coasting commerce are carried on. The harbour is formed. by the mouth of the Penrhos river; admits vessels of 300 tons; has at its mouth Can'eg-y-Eimbill or the Gimlet Rocky and has been improved by the formation of a large embankment to resist encroachment by the sea. Population of the municipal borough, 3231.
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Carnarvonshire is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Pwllheli are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
Newspapers and Periodicals
The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers online: