Fishing village on the side of the Great Orme by the sea.

[Helig]

I think that on the old Llandudno Local site I read some time ago of a village round the Great Orme, right by the sea, that was inhabited by fishing folk. It is long gone and I would be interested to hear what people know of this. Are there any photos, or lithographs, of it anywhere?

Helig. 

[Hugo]

I can't say that I've heard that one before Helig.  Llandudno in the early 1800's was a small community based above and around where the Kings Head pub is.
There was a community of about 20 houses on the Morfa where the Promenade is but they were squatters and worked in the copper mines as well as fishing.
I would have thought that around the Great Orme would not be ideal for any fishing village

[DaveR]

I thought at first that this was maybe a reference to Llys Helig but it doesnt seem so. Fishing has never really been a mainstay of Llandudno at any point in its history.

[Helig]

The more I think about it, I seem to recall reading about this in a book on the Great Orme which was in Llandudno library. It was a sort of archeological book and went into the history of the Orme in some depth. It covered this place, situated round the Orme on the seaward side, away from the town. I think it showed a picture of it, a lithograph probably.

It said the village, or maybe hamlet, was long gone and few traces exist now. I cannot be sure it was purely fishing folk, could be there were miners and agricultural workers as well.

I shall have to research further.

[Yorkie]

One of the most prolific recent writers on Llandudno was the late Noel Walley but there is nothing much about any fishing village on the website he left us.

http://www.greatorme.org.uk/

[Hugo]

It's not on the Orme but there was a village and an Iron age fort at Castell Tremlyd.   Bri Roberts posted an interesting article on this some time ago see  http://threetownsforum.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1000.msg36331.html#msg36331

It's nowhere near the Orme but could this be what you are thinking about?

[Helig]

Thanks Hugo, I hadn't heard of Castell Tremlyd. The village, or more accurately, hamlet, was said to have been right on the sea part way round the Orme. I have seen a picture of it which indicated it was tiny with only a small number of inhabitants. As I recall, it was said to have been abandoned long ago. Quite how long ago, I cannot recall for sure.

From memory, the access was from the sea mainly. I imagine there must have been some land route but am not sure.

This is one matter which I read about some years ago and always meant to pursue, then never did. Such is life...

Helig

[Ian48]

I remember reading a document that I believe was put together by Nigel Bannerman and discussed a supposed village with links to the Knights Templar around the Orme and it might be what you are thinking of. 

The document had a few artist's impressions of the village and discussed it in quite some detail. He said it was located by the remains of the old chamber around the Orme near the Lighthouse and the old carvings that you find nearby of a bishop with a mitre (part of the Templar connection). I thought this sounded rather far-fetched at the time I read it and subsequently it was proved that the chamber only dated from around 1690 and had been built as a fishing retreat for one of the heirs of the Mostyns for when they were in residence at Gloddaeth. The chamber was featured a few years ago on the BBC's 'Coast' series and Neil Oliver went down into it.

This may be what you were thinking of.

Castell Tremlydd is very intersting though!

[Hugo]

I remember reading a document that I believe was put together by Nigel Bannerman and discussed a supposed village with links to the Knights Templar around the Orme and it might be what you are thinking of. 

The document had a few artist's impressions of the village and discussed it in quite some detail. He said it was located by the remains of the old chamber around the Orme near the Lighthouse and the old carvings that you find nearby of a bishop with a mitre (part of the Templar connection). I thought this sounded rather far-fetched at the time I read it and subsequently it was proved that the chamber only dated from around 1690 and had been built as a fishing retreat for one of the heirs of the Mostyns for when they were in residence at Gloddaeth. The chamber was featured a few years ago on the BBC's 'Coast' series and Neil Oliver went down into it.

This may be what you were thinking of.

I was at a meeting in Rhos some years ago when Nigel Bannerman

Castell Tremlydd is very intersting though!

I was at a meeting in Rhos some years ago and Nigel Bannerman was lecturing on the Bronze age coast.  It was an interesting meeting but he then expressed his thoughts on Ogof Llech and the sunken village.    At the end of the meeting I had a quiet word with him when he was alone and told him what I knew about the place as I had visited it many years ago and knew some of it's history.  Castell Tremlyd on the other hand is documented but was near where the Black Rocks used to be on the West Shore (Deganwy side)

[Hugo]

The village that was near Castell Tremlyd was called Penlassog and both have been washed away by the change in the coast line.

[Helig]

Thank you for your contributions.

The more I think about this, I am sure I read about it in an archaeological book in the library in Llandudno. There was one specifically on the Orme. It covered the old sites and gave some photos etc of these. I have an image of this place in my mind. I will have another look at this book next time I am in there. It had very many things of interest and I debated about buying a copy. Wish I had.

Diolch yn Fawr,

Helig.

[Hugo]

It would be interesting to know the name of the book and the author whenever you see it again Helig.   

[Helig]

The book was called, "Historic Landscapes of the Great Orme", author Mary Aris, Published 1996.

It was kept in Llandudno library the last time I was in there.

Helig.

[Hugo]

Thanks very much Helig.  It's available on Amazon at £10.00 but I can try the library as I'm curious to see where she thinks it was.
I'll ask to borrow it next time I'm there.