Newborough () is a village in the southern corner of the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. It is a part of the Bro Aberffraw electoral ward; to the northwest is Aberffraw, and to the northeast is Llanfairpwll. There is a church in the village, a primary school, and a public institute. Nearby is the Newborough Warren, a forest, beach, and public nature reserve.

Until 1984 it was a community. Today it is part of Rhosyr.

History

Medieval Rhos Vair

In medieval Gwynedd, Rhosyr was the royal demesne () and seat of governance for the commote of Menai. The location was a residence of the Princes of Gwynedd. There is a ruined court building of Llys Rhosyr (Rhosyr court) on the outskirts of the present village of Newborough; the royal court () dates from 1237 and was in use for less than a century. The building was the inspiration and model for the reconstruction of a court at St. Fagans Museum, Cardiff.

Newborough gained its current name when the town was founded by citizens of Llanfaes in eastern Anglesey. The inhabitants were evicted in 1294 from east Anglesey to the west of the island by Edward I, to promote the new port of Beaumaris. The town was established as a "new borough" and gained its charter in 1303. Before the changes, the town was called Rhôs Vair. The charter was renewed by successive kings between the 14th and 19th centuries. During the age of Edward I (c. 1300), the town was promoted to the status of a corporation giving it a guild mercatory amongst other privileges, this status was confirmed once more during the reign of Edward III (first year of his reign, 1327), King of England. During the later part of this period, the town's population was around 93 houses around the royal manor. The Crown of England had a steward in this district who received a salary of 10 pounds per year. The court at Llys Rhosyr was still in use during this period, as it was noted that repairs were being done to the buildings. Also, during the 14th century, one of the leading Welsh poets of the Middle Ages, Dafydd ap Gwilym wrote a cywydd praising Newbourough for its generous hospitality, especially towards poets, describing it as both a sanctuary and a place of joyful abundance, symbolised through vivid images of wine, mead, and song.

School

thumb|Newborough Primary School

In 2019, the village opened a new Welsh-speaking primary school, Ysgol Santes Dwynwen.

Prichard Jones institute

thumb|Pritchard-Jones institute, built 1905 in Newborough

The Prichard Jones Institute was built in 1902–1905. ("Institute" is a common Welsh term for a community hall: y stiwt.) The Neo-Tudor institute with a clock tower was designed by Roland Lloyd Jones and completed for £20,000 (). Pritchard-Jones was eventually appointed as chairman of the Dickins & Jones department store in London, to which he gave his name.

Recreation

The village and its environs provide walking opportunities for visitors, including at Newborough Warren, one of the largest areas of dunes in the British Isles, and Newborough Forest, a woodland. Much of the area around Newborough is a nature reserve, popular with those interested in geology, botany, birds, and other wildlife.

There is a large sandy Blue Flag beach at Llanddwyn, which provides access to Ynys Llanddwyn. On the island are the ruins of a church which is said to have been dedicated to the Welsh Saint Dwynwen in the year 465. She was the patron of the Welsh Valentines Day (). The church was built in the 16th century on a mile-long promontory on the beach. The beach is also a popular kitesurfing location.

Just outside the village is Tacla Taid ("Grandpa's stuff"), the Anglesey Transport and Agriculture Museum, the largest of its kind in Wales.

Demographics

The village is in the Bro Aberffraw electoral ward on Anglesey, the area represents the south-west of the island. Then, Newborough is in the community (and former electoral ward) of Rhosyr, which had a population of 2,169 in 2001, increasing to 2,226 at the 2011 census.

Historically the population of the village grew from 599 in 1801 to 934 in 1971. By 1831, there were 187 males over 20 years old, of these, 62 were farmworkers. In 2011, the village had a population of 892 of whom 68% were born in Wales. As of the 2021 census, Newborough has a population of 839.

People from Newborough

Today, the village gives its name to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Newborough of the Welsh Wynn family.

  • Grace Wynne Griffith (1888–1963) novelist writing in Welsh, joint prize winner at the National Eisteddfod in 1934.

Movies and television filmed in Newborough

  • Coast, BBC television series
  • Half Light, 2006 horror film starring Demi Moore.
  • Clash Of The Titans, 2010 historical fantasy film starring Sam Worthington.
  • House of the Dragon, 2022 Fantasy television drama, prequel to Game of Thrones.

Photos of Newborough

<gallery>

File:HendreFawrNewborough.jpg|Snowdon and Snowdonia from Hendre Fawr farm

File:Newboroughbeachcarpark.jpg|Newborough beach car park

File:KitesurfingNewborough.JPG|Kitesurfing on Newborough beach

File:Gateway leading to St Peter's Church, Newborough, Ynys Mon, Wales 03.jpg|Gateway leading to St Peter's Church

</gallery>

References

  • geograph.org -photos of Newborough