AMLWCH (llwch= "

See also:

• LAKE
• LAKE, GERARD LAKE, 1ST VISCOUNT (1744-1808)

lake ")  , a market town of Anglesey, North Wales, situated on slightly rising ground on the N. coast of the island, 15 M . N.W. of Beaumaris and 262 M. from London, by the London & North-Western railway . Pop. of urban district (1901) 2994 . Originally it owed its whole importance to the copper mines of the Parys (probably, Parry's) mountain, as, before ore was discovered in March 1768, it was a small hamlet of fishermen . The mines once produced 3000 tons of metal annually, copper smelting being largely carried on, but have now almost ceased working . Though apparently not mentioned by Ptolemy, they were perhaps Roman . Robert Parys, chamberlain of North Wales under Henry IV., is often given as their godfather . The poor harbour called the " port," protected by a breakwater, has been cut out of the rock (shingle) . Amlwch is the terminus of the branch railway from Gaerwen to Amlwch, formerly the Anglesey Central Railway Company . Porthllechog, or Bull Bay (so called from the Bull Rock), at a mile's distance, is a small but favourite watering-place . Beyond, on the coast, some 3 m. distant, are the remains of a British fort and of the Llanllaianau monastery, opposite the Middle Mouse islet and close to Llanbadrig old church and Cemmaes . Industries include slate quarrying, shipbuilding, iron and brass foundries, alum, vitriol, manure, guano and tobacco works .

At Llanllaianau was found, in 1841, a

stone coffin, holding a well-preserved skeleton of 72 ft. in length . The coffin was apparently of Aberdovey (Aberdyfi) limestone, much corroded . At Llangefni, not far from Amlwch, in 1829, and at Llangristiolus, 3 M. distant from Llangefni, about 1770, were found human bones of a high antiquity, between Glan Hwfa and Fron, and at Capel, respectively . The town has an old Anglican church (St Eleth's) .