{{Short description|Village in Anglesey, Wales}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox UK place | country = Wales | welsh_name = | static_image = Chapel Street, Penysarn - geograph.org.uk - 1408297.jpg | static_image_width = 240px | static_image_caption = Chapel Street, Penysarn | coordinates = {{coord|53.387|-04.315|display=inline,title}} | constituency_welsh_assembly = Ynys Môn | official_name = Penysarn | os_grid_reference = SH460908 | unitary_wales = Anglesey | lieutenancy_wales = Gwynedd | constituency_westminster = Ynys Môn | post_town = PENYSARN | postcode_district = LL69 9 | postcode_area = LL | dial_code = 01407 / 01248 | population = 595 | population_ref = (2011 census) | map_type = }}
'''Penysarn''' ({{IPAc-en|p|ɛ|n|ˈ|s|ɑr|n}}; {{IPA|cy|pɛnˈsarn|lanɡ}}) is a small village located within the community of Llaneilian, in the north-eastern corner of Anglesey, Wales. It is on the north-eastern side of Parys Mountain, at approximately {{convert|140-150|ft}} above sea level. The settlement expanded in the 18th century with the arrival of miners working at the nearby copper mines. The population as of the 2011 census was 595.<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=W37000285|title=Penysarn Built-up area|accessdate=2019-12-10}}</ref>
==Name== Penysarn is sometimes written 'Pen-y-sarn', but in both cases, the 'y' is silent. The English translation from Welsh means 'the end of the causeway'.<ref name="Spurrell1888">{{cite book|last=Spurrell|first=William|title=Practical Lessons in Welsh: In Imitation of the Natural Method of Learning to Speak a Language|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4NkNAQAAMAAJ|year=1888|publisher=Spurrell|page=158}}</ref>
==History== thumb|150px|left|Parys Penny Penysarn grew throughout the 18th century, close to what was once the world's largest copper mine, located at Parys Mountain.<ref>{{cite book|last=Beach|first=Russell|title=AA touring guide to Wales|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kQRXxfoZGSwC|date=1 January 1975|publisher=AA|isbn=978-0-09-211570-7|page=259}}</ref><ref name="O'Brien2015">{{cite book|last=O'Brien|first=William|title=Prehistoric Copper Mining in Europe: 5500-500 BC|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UYpVBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA144|year=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-960565-1|page=144}}</ref> During this time, the mountain and surrounding area had their own nationally recognized currency, known as the Parys Penny, or Anglesey Penny. These coins were made from copper mined at the mountain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.angleseymining.co.uk/parysmountain/HomeParys.htm|title=Parys|publisher=Angleseymining.co.uk|accessdate=16 April 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328190550/http://www.angleseymining.co.uk/ParysMountain/HomeParys.htm|archivedate=28 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/entries/cd144e28-d625-33fc-bb67-9ae24bbe5b73|title=Anglesey Pennies|publisher=BBC|date=21 January 2013|accessdate=6 April 2016}}</ref>
The village's early expansion was principally due to employment opportunities created by the busy mines and from providing ancillary services such as clog-making, blacksmithing and baking. Several light industrial companies existed in Penysarn until the 1990s, but employment today is largely limited to core services, such as the village shop and school. Tourism has brought some business opportunities, with the creation of a small camping and caravan site and several properties being rented out as holiday cottages, but most workers living in Penysarn today commute to local towns for work.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} {{OSM Location map | coord = {{coord|53.3914|-4.3045}} | zoom =13 | width = 350 <!-- width and height of the frame. numeric input - do not add px --> | height = 350 | nolabels=0 | caption = Map of Penysarn, in Llaneilian Community. | label1=Copper mines |labela1=(disused)| label-pos1=top| label-color1=#444433| mark-size1=0| mark-coord1 = {{coord|53.3891|-4.3287}}|mark-title1 = Parys Mountain Copper mines| mark-image1=Flooded workings at Mynydd Parys with a wind farm in the background - geograph.org.uk - 1112339.jpg| mark-description1= | label2=| label-pos2=bottom| label-color2=#444433| label-size2=11| label-offset-y2=-6| mark-size2=0| mark-coord2 = {{coord|53.403|-4.309}}| mark-title2=Pengorffwysfa|mark-image2=Houses on the hill descending from Pengorffwysfa to Llaneilian - geograph.org.uk - 1409380.jpg| mark-description2= | label4=Mynydd |labela4=Eilian| label-pos4=bottom| label-color4=#444433| mark-size4=5| mark-coord4 = {{coord|53.4000|-4.2988}}| mark-title4=Mynydd Eilian| mark-image4=Hither and no further! - geograph.org.uk - 748371.jpg | label9 = Llaneilian| label-size9=13| mark-coord9 = {{coord|53.4104|-4.305}}| mark-size9=0| label-color9=#444433| label-pos9=left| mark-title9=Llaneilian | label10 = | label-size10=13| mark-coord10 = {{coord|53.3890|-4.3160}}| mark-size10=10| label-color10=#444433| label-pos10=left| mark-title10=Penysarn| mark-image10=Capel Carmel, Chapel Street, Penysarn - geograph.org.uk - 1408316.jpg | label11 = | label-size11=13| mark-coord11 = {{coord|53.3888|-4.3058}}| mark-size11=0| label-color11=#444433| label-pos11=right| mark-title11=Nebo|mark-image11=Approaching Nebo from the north - geograph.org.uk - 747653.jpg | label12=Church of |labela12=St Eilian| label-pos12=top| mark-size12=6| label-offset-x12=-7| mark-coord12 = {{coord|53.4107|-4.3037}}|mark-title12 =Church of St Eilian| mark-image12=Eglwys y Plwyf Llaneilian Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 735150.jpg| mark-description12= | label13=Old St Gwenllwyfo |labela13=(remains)| label-pos13=top| mark-size13=6| mark-coord13 = {{coord|53.385787|-4.278499}}|mark-title13 =Old Church of St Gwenllwyfo, Llanwenllwyfo| mark-image13=The ruins of Eglwys Gwenllwyfo - geograph.org.uk - 392343.jpg| mark-description13= | label14=Church of|labela14=St Gwenllwyfo| label-pos14=top| mark-size14=6| mark-coord14 = {{coord|53.378809|-4.290799}}|mark-title14 = St Gwenllwyfo's Church | mark-image14=Llanwenllwyfo Church - geograph.org.uk - 232117.jpg| mark-description14= | label16 = L L A N E I L I A N| label-size16=11| mark-coord16 = {{coord|53.391|-4.301}}| mark-size16=0| label-color16=grey| label-pos16=top| mark-title16=none }}
==Amenities== The village is the starting point for several, officially designated, circular tourist walks. These include industrial heritage walks such as Llwybr Cadi Rondol, which takes walkers through the old copper mines at Mynydd Parys, and Llwybr Eilian, which takes walkers through Llaneilian and the surrounding countryside.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
==Notable people== *Lewis William Lewis "Llew Llwyfo", (1831 - 1901), poet, novelist, journalist, conductor, singer and winner of several Eistoddfodau.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s-LEWI-WIL-1831|title=LEWIS, LEWIS WILLIAM|publisher=Dictionary of Welsh Biography, National Library of Wales|accessdate=16 April 2016}}</ref> *John Eilian Jones (1904 - 1985), journalist, poet and broadcaster.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130816020025/http://y2u.co.uk/%26002_Images/Parys_Mountain_01.htm Photos of the Parys Mountain Copper Mine near Amlwch]
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Category:Villages in Anglesey Category:Llaneilian