Penmon - Penmon visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Penmon' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Anglesey.

Penmon is a tiny settlement on a headland on the southeast tip of the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. The name is apt, coming as it does from 'pen' (head, end or promontory) and 'Môn' (Welsh for Anglesey). Tradition has it that a monastic community was established on the headland in the 6th century by St Seiriol. A township grew up around the monastery, much of which was sacked by Vikings in the 10th century.

In the 12th century, under the governance of Gruffydd ap Cynan and Owain Gwynedd, the bbey church was rebuilt and continued to expand until the monastery until King Edward dissolved it in 1538. The land then transferred to a prominent local family, the Bulkeleys of Beaumaris, who remain the landlords to this day. They turned part into a deer park and built the dovecot near St Seiriol's Church.

Penmon - Tourist Attractions

The area around Penmon is very popular with those who come, many of whom return year on year to enjoy the relative solitude, countryside, beaches and local history. Tourist attractions in and around Penmon include:

• Puffin Island (Ynys Seiriol) - privately owned by Baron Hill estate, the island is an important Special Protection Area (SPA) famous for the Great Cormorant colony, one of the largest in the UK, other sea-birds and slowly growing Puffin colony.
• Penmon Priory (St Seiriol's monastery) - stone church built between 1120 to 1123 and enlarged in the early 13th century and now contains two, 10th century, stone crosses that once stood outside Penmon Abbey.
• St Seiriol's Well - built by the monks of Penmon, the waters were believed to have healing powers, next to the well is a stone wall, thought to have been part of the 6th century church, making it the oldest Christian building remains in Wales.
• Dovecot (Dovecote) - built by Sir Richard Bulkeley in around 1600 to house pigeons for eggs and meat in 1000 nesting boxes.
• Penmon Beach - blue flag rural, long, sandy beach on the banks of the Menai Straits with car parking.
• Trwyn Du Lighthouse - lighthouse marking the passage between Dinmor Point near Penmon and Ynys Seriol (Puffin Island).
• Llangoed - small village south of Penmon with the 17th-century parish church of St Cawrdaf and ruins of Castell Aberlleiniog, an 11 century motte-and-bailey castle, nearby.
• Fedw Fawr - part of the Arfordir Gogleddol Penmon Site of Special Scientific Interest managed by the National Trust, the cliffs around here support the only Black Guillemot colony in Wales.
• St Iestyn's Church - church in Llaniestyn supposedly founded in the 7th century, with the current building dating from the 12th century.
• Beaumaris - ancient Viking village on the entrance to the Menai Straits containing Beaumaris Castle, and St. Mary's Church.
• Walks - the coastline around Penmon contains numerous coastal paths and walks, coves and small beaches.

Road: Penmon is 4 miles north of Beaumaris, about 9 miles from the Menai Bridge and links with the Wales mainland. It is about 20 miles from Snowdonia.