Map darluniadol yn unig – nid yw’n raddfa na lleoliad cywir | Illustrative map only – not to scale or for navigation.
Enwau Lleoedd Hanesyddol | Historic Place Names
1. Porth Helaeth neu Porth Elath ar lafar
Ystyr y gair Helaeth yw eang (extensive) sy’n ddisgrifiad teilwng o ffurf yr arfordir yn y man hwn, wrth i’r traeth fod yn rhan o fae carregog bwaog eithaf maith. O ran y traeth ei hun, mae wedi’i gyfansoddi o gerrigos gweddol fawr ac yn enghraifft o stormdraeth. Yn nodweddiadol, ffurfir cefnen amlwg o gerrigos ar ben uchaf y traeth, uwchben y marc penllanw, a hynny gan rym y tonnau ar adeg stormydd. Nodwedd gymharol ddiweddar yw’r llu o byramidau cerrig a adeiladwyd ar y gro. Arferai pentrefwyr yr oes a fu roi gwerth ar y nant sy’n llifo i’r môr fel ffynhonnell ddibynadwy o ddŵr croyw. Ar lanw isel, mae carreg tanfor fawr (Capel Elath) yn cael ei dadorchuddio, sydd yn gallu bod yn berygl i forwyr. Ychydig i’r gogledd, ar y creigiau gerllaw, gwelir safle llongddrylliad y Royal Charter ar 26ain Hydref 1859. Bu farw tua 450 o bobl yn y drychineb, y golled fwyaf mewn bywydau o blith yr holl longddrylliadau ar arfordir Cymru. Nid yw’r union nifer o fywydau a gollwyd yn eglur gan i’r rhestr o deithwyr ar ei bwrdd gael ei golli yn y ddrycin. Mae rhagor o fanylion am y llongddrylliad ar y gofgolofn uwchben y traeth ac yn y Wylfan ym mhentref Moelfre.
2. Swnt Ystyr yr enw Swnt yw Culfor (Sound neu Straits)
Darn cul o fôr, rhwng dau ddarn o dir, sydd yn cysylltu dau gorff ehangach o ddŵr. Gwelir yr enw ar leoedd eraill yng Nghymru e.e. Swnt Enlli (Bardsey Sound) ym Mhenllyn. Mae angen gofal wrth hwylio cwch drwy’r swnt rhwng Ynys Moelfre a’r tir mawr – ar brydiau, gall y llanw redeg yn gryf drwyddo, ac ar adegau eraill, gall y dŵr fod yn fas iawn gyda chraig tanddwr peryglus (carreg hanner trai) gerllaw. Ar adegau eithriadaol, sef ar lanw isel gwanwyn mawr, mae modd cerdded draw at yr ynys, er nad yw hyn yn cael ei gymeradwyo o gwbl o ran diogelwch. Yn ogystal â bod yn gartref i wylanod ac adar eraill, mae llawer o lygod mawr yn byw ar yr Ynys – ac enw cynnar arni ar fap Lewis Morris (1701-1765) yw Ynys Lygod. Mae Porth yr Ynys (sef y traeth carregog gerllaw) yn lecyn braf a Thrwyn Grupyl / Trwyn Pen Bonc gerllaw yn fan da iawn ar gyfer pysgota mecryll o’r lan.
3. Porth Lydan
Traeth Llydan ei faint, rhwng Swnt a Phorth Nigwl / Porth Neugwll / Porth Neigwyl. Ystyr Porth yw drws neu agoriad ac mae’n enw sy’n cael ei gysylltu gyda nifer o draethau a chilfachau ar hyd a lled arfordir Cymru. Dyma gartref y cwt bad achub presennol. Wrth y cwt, mae’r dŵr yn gymharol ddwfn, sy’n galluogi lansio’r cwch ar wahanol adegau o’r llanw. Hefyd, Mae Trwyn Grupyl neu Drwyn Pen Bonc yn cynnig rhywfaint o gysgod i’r cwt o wyntoedd gogledd ddwyreiniol a gwyntoedd gorllewinol. Mae yna gof maith fod llong yn cludo glo wedi suddo gerllaw a, drachefn, bod pentrefwyr y cyfnod yn gallu codi glo oddi ar lawr y môr gyda bwced ar ddiwedd rhaff.
4. Porth Nigwl / Porth Neugwll / Porth Neigwyl / Porth Neigwl
Er bod mwy nag un sillafiad ar enw’r traeth hwn, mae enwau tebyg i’w cael ar hyd arfordir Cymru – e.e. Porth Neigwl i’r dwyrain o Aberdaron ym Mhenllyn a Newgale (ffurf wedi ei Seisnigo o’r enw), i’r dwyrain o Solfa ym Mhenfro. Y cyfieithiad Saesneg yw ‘Hell’s Mouth’, wrth i Nigwl fod yn hen enw ar y diafol. Roedd yn gred leol fod bwgan neu ysbryd o’r enw Nigwl yn llechu yma, ac yn ôl y sawl a honnai ei weld, disgrifiwyd ef fel dyn tal iawn mewn dillad llongwr. Dyma safle’r hen gwt bad achub. Sefydlwyd bad achub Moelfre ym 1848, gan symud i dŷ cwch newydd ym Mhorth Neigwl ym 1875. Ychwanegwyd llithrfa ym 1893 i wneud y lansiad yn haws. Adeiladwyd y cwt cwch a’r llithrfa bresennol ym 1909, a’u hailadeiladu ar gost o £10m yn barod ar gyfer y bad achub dosbarth Tamar newydd a gyrhaeddodd yr orsaf yn 2015. Roedd y traeth hwn yn boblogaidd iawn i nofio a thorheulo gan bobl lleol flynyddoedd yn ôl, yn rhannol am fod y llithren yn lle da i dorheulo arno a bod modd plymio i’r dwr oddi ar y creigiau. Bellach, mae ei boblogwydd wedi pylu rhywfaint gan fod y llwybr tuag ato wedi erydu.
5. Y Gro
Enw arall ar Glan y Môr (prif draeth y pentref) neu Lamôr ar lafar yw’r Gro. Ystyr Gro yw cerrig gweddol fawr, crwn eu ffurf (gravel neu pebbles yn Saesneg). Ystyr Glan y Môr yw’r rhan agosaf at y môr (seashore yn Saesneg).
6. Capel Mawr neu Yr Hen Gapel
Am gyfnod helaeth o gylched y llanw, carreg danfor yw Capel Mawr neu’r Hen Gapel, sy’n llechu oddi ar y Gro, sef prif draeth y pentref. Mae’n cael ei dadorchuddio ar lanw isel a gellir gweld ei ffurf fel talp sylweddol. Pan fo’r llanw i fewn, nid oes fawr arwydd o’i bodolaeth, ac felly mae angen gofal wrth geisio glanio cwch ar y traeth. Ar un olwg, mae’r enw ar y graig hon yn annisgwyl, ond nid felly wrth ystyried cefndir crefyddol y pentrefwyr yn y gorffennol, pan oedd dylanwad y capel yn gryf. ‘Slawer dydd, roedd y gair capel yn symbol o gadernid. Naturiol felly dyfalu ei ddefnyddio fel enw ar graig.
7. Allt Ffatri
Yn y gorffennol, roedd ffatri yn y rhan hon o’r pentref, felly’r enw Allt Ffatri, gyda Allt yn golygu llethr. Lleolid y ffatri gyferbyn â chegin Ann’s Pantry lle saif Glan y Dŵr heddiw. Ffatri wlân oedd hi yn ôl cyndadau ym Moelfre. Gwnaethpwyd blancedi ynddi i rai mewn angen ac i filwyr y Rhyfel Byd 1af ac 2il. Yn naturiol, gan fod Moelfre yn bentref morwrol, anfonwyd cynnyrch hefyd i forwyr ar wahanol longau. Defnyddiwyd y gwlân at ddibenion eraill e.e. i wneud sanau cynnes i longwyr. Roedd safle’r ffatri yn ddelfrydol, ger yr afon fyrlymus sy’n llifo o gyffuniau Llanallgo a chyrion Marianglas i lawr y rhaeadr, dan y bont a’r lôn ac yn syth i’r môr. Sychwyd y gwlân ar Bonc Sincrig, sef y bryncyn cyfagos. Cynigiodd y ffatri gyflogaeth hanfodol i bentrefwyr na fedrent fynd i’r môr am amrywiol resymau.
8. Ponc Sincrig – Ponc Sincrug
Yr un ystyr sydd i Ponc a Chrug, sef Hillock neu Knoll yn Saesneg. Ar bonciau fel hyn, ble roedd awel dda o wynt, y byddai pobl yn gwyntyllu neu’n nithio gwenith. Hynny ydy, hidlo gwenith yn y gwynt nes fod y mân eisin yn chwythu i ffwrdd gan adael y grawn yn lân. Dyma darddiad y dywediad Saesneg, “To seperate the wheat from the chaff.” Dim ond yr enw Ponc Sincrug sydd ar ôl bellach i gadarnhau fod y broses honno yn digwydd yn y fan hyn ers ‘talwm. Mae hynny yn tanlinellu pwysigrwydd cofnodi a chadw enwau cysefin, gan mai dyma ydy’r unig dystiolaeth o hanes gweithgaredd y gorffennol. Winnowing Bank fyddai’r ystyr yn Saesneg.
9. Dalar neu Dalargam
Daw’r enw Dalar o’r gair Talar, gyda threiglad ar ôl y fannod ‘y’. Ystyr y gair yw pentir (Headland yn Saesneg), ac mae’n cael ei gysylltu gyda dau ben cae sydd heb gael ei aredig. Fe elwir y rhan yma o’r arfordir hefyd ar lafar yn Dalargam (cam=bent). Wrth graffu yn ofalus ar ran arbennig o glogwyn Dalar, mae modd dod o hyd i bistyll bychan, gyda dŵr croyw yn llifo o’r graig.
10. Cerrig Slent
Gellir adnabod y darn hwn o’r arfordir wrth ffurf arbennig y clogwyn serth a’r llyfndir eang o’i flaen, sydd yn drwch mewn mannau gyda gorchudd o wymon gwyrdd. Mae Slent yn gyfystyr â’r gair Slant, sydd yn ddisgrifiad tebygol o oledd y clogwyn. Mae yna awgrym hefyd fod y gair Slent yn gysylltiedig gyda gweithgareddau chwarela, sydd yn gyson gyda ffurf y graig ac yn gyson hefyd gyda thystiolaeth hanesyddol o chwarela calchfaen ar hyd y rhan hon o arfordir Môn.
11. Porth yr Aber
Ystyr Porth yw drws neu agoriad (enw a roddir i nifer o draethau yn y rhan hon o Fôn), ac ystyr Aber yw genau afon pan fydd yn llifo i’r môr. Rhwng y fan a elwir rhwng dau dir, rhed afon fechan i’r môr. Araf yw llif yr afon fel arfer, ond gall redeg yn wyllt wedi glaw trwm. Mae pyllau trai (rockpools) bychan ar ochr ogleddol y traeth a phan aiff y môr allan, fe ddadorchuddir darn helaeth o dywod. Mae’n cynnig lle i nofio ac yn lecyn i balu abwyd ar gyfer pysgota. Hefyd, ar glogwyn deheuol y traeth, mae ogof amlwg, sef Ogof Robin Rogo.
12. Ogof Robin Rogo (Robin o’r Ogof)
Ogof yw hon gyda chysylltiad i lên gwerin lleol. Cymeriad dychmygol oedd Robin yr Ogof neu Robin Rogo ar lafar. Tybir mai cymeriad a grëwyd gan rieni ydoedd i rybuddio plant o fannau peryglus o’r arfordir, ar adeg yn y gorffennol lle byddai plant yn rhydd i grwydro’r arfordir heb eu rhieni. Yn ôl y chwedl, roedd modd i Robin ymddangos gerllaw dibyn neu dywod sugno neu arwedd arall peryglus. Gallai ymddangos yn ddi-rybudd. Fe’i disgrifwyd i blant fel corrach cyhyrog, cryf, gyda llygaid trwm a threiddgar, â chap pigog ar ei ben.
13. Porth y Rhos
Mae Rhos yn enw cyffredin mewn lleoedd eraill ar yr ynys e.e. Rhosmeirch, Rhosgoch ac ati. Ei ystyr yw gwastadedd, rhostir neu forfa (heathland yn Saesneg), sef tir garw heb ei aredig. Arferai plant y pentref feddwl amdano fel traeth rhosynnau, gan fod blodau pinc, ysgafn (seapinks) yn tyfu yno. Yn ôl yr adarwr T.G Walker, roedd adar niferus i’w gweld yma a threuliai gyfnodau hir yn edrych arnynt ym Mhorth Rhos.
(Gwybodaeth gan Valmai Rees-Jones, Catherine Davies, Bedwyr Rees ac Aeron Rees)
1. Porth Helaeth or Porth Elath (spoken)
The word “Helaeth” means extensive, which is a fitting description of the coastline here, as the beach forms part of a fairly long, curved shingle bay. The beach itself is made up of fairly large pebbles and is an example of a storm beach. Typically, a prominent ridge of pebbles forms at the upper part of the beach, above the high tide mark, created by the force of waves during storms. A relatively recent feature is the many stone cairns that have been built on the shore.
In the past, villagers valued the stream flowing into the sea as a reliable source of fresh water.
At low tide, a large submerged rock (Capel Elath) is revealed, which can be dangerous to sailors.
A little to the north, on nearby rocks, lies the site of the Royal Charter shipwreck of 26 October 1859. Around 450 people died in the disaster, the greatest loss of life from any shipwreck on the Welsh coast. The exact number of lives lost is unclear as the passenger list was lost in the storm. More details about the shipwreck can be found on the memorial above the beach and at the Seawatch Centre in Moelfre village.
2. Swnt
The name “Swnt” means a narrow sea channel (Sound or Straits) – a narrow stretch of sea between two pieces of land connecting two larger bodies of water. The name appears elsewhere in Wales, e.g. Bardsey Sound (Swnt Enlli) in the Llŷn Peninsula.
Care is needed when navigating a boat through the channel between Ynys Moelfre and the mainland – at times the tide can run strongly, while at other times the water can be very shallow with a dangerous submerged rock nearby (half-tide rock). On rare occasions, during very low spring tides, it is possible to walk across to the island, although this is not recommended for safety reasons.
As well as being home to gulls and other birds, many rats live on the island – and an early name for it on Lewis Morris’s map (1701–1765) is Rat Island.
Porth yr Ynys (the nearby shingle beach) is a pleasant spot, and nearby Trwyn Grupyl / Trwyn Pen Bonc is an excellent place for mackerel fishing from the shore.
3. Porth Lydan
A wide beach located between Swnt and Porth Nigwl / Porth Neugwll / Porth Neigwyl. The word “Porth” means door or opening and is commonly used for beaches and coves around the Welsh coast.
This is the location of the current lifeboat station. The water near the station is relatively deep, allowing the boat to be launched at different states of the tide. Trwyn Grupyl / Trwyn Pen Bonc also provides some shelter from north-easterly and westerly winds.
There is a long-standing memory of a coal ship sinking nearby, and that villagers once retrieved coal from the seabed using a bucket on a rope.
4. Porth Nigwl / Porth Neugwll / Porth Neigwyl / Porth Neigwl
Although this beach has several spellings, similar names can be found along the Welsh coast – e.g. Porth Neigwl near Aberdaron and Newgale (an anglicised version of the name) near Solva in Pembrokeshire. The English translation is “Hell’s Mouth”, as “Nigwl” is an old name for the devil.
There was a local belief that a spirit or creature called Nigwl haunted the area, described as a very tall man dressed as a sailor.
This was the site of the old lifeboat station. The Moelfre lifeboat was established in 1848 and moved to a new boathouse here in 1875. A slipway was added in 1893 to make launching easier. The current boathouse and slipway were built in 1909 and later rebuilt at a cost of £10 million to accommodate the Tamar class lifeboat, which arrived in 2015.
The beach was once very popular for swimming and sunbathing, partly because the slipway was a good place to sunbathe and there were suitable rocks for diving. Its popularity has since declined somewhat due to erosion of the access path.
5. Y Gro
Another name for Glan y Môr (the village’s main beach), or “Lamôr” locally, is “Y Gro”. “Gro” means fairly large, rounded stones (gravel or pebbles), while “Glan y Môr” means the area closest to the sea (seashore).
6. Capel Mawr or Yr Hen Gapel
For much of the tidal cycle, Capel Mawr or Yr Hen Gapel is a submerged rock lying off Y Gro, the village’s main beach. It is revealed at low tide and appears as a large mass. When the tide is in, there is little sign of its existence, so care is needed when attempting to land a boat.
At first glance, the name may seem unusual, but it reflects the strong religious background of the village in the past, when chapels had great influence. In earlier times, the word “chapel” symbolised strength, so it is natural that it was used to name a rock.
7. Allt Ffatri
In the past, there was a factory in this part of the village, hence the name “Allt Ffatri” (Factory Slope). The factory stood opposite Ann’s Pantry, where Glan y Dŵr now stands.
It was a wool factory, according to local ancestors. Blankets were made there for those in need and for soldiers during the First and Second World Wars. As Moelfre is a maritime village, products were also sent to sailors on various ships. Wool was also used to make warm socks for seafarers.
The factory’s location was ideal, near the lively stream flowing from Llanallgo and Marianglas down the waterfall, under the bridge and road, and directly into the sea. The wool was dried on Bonc Sincrig, the nearby hill.
The factory provided essential employment for villagers who could not go to sea.
8. Ponc Sincrig / Ponc Sincrug
“Ponc” and “Crug” both mean a hillock or knoll. Such locations, where there was a good breeze, were used for winnowing wheat – separating grain from chaff by letting the wind blow away the lighter material. This is the origin of the English phrase “to separate the wheat from the chaff.”
Only the name Ponc Sincrug now remains to confirm that this process once took place here, highlighting the importance of preserving traditional place names as evidence of past activity.
The English meaning would be “Winnowing Bank.”
9. Dalar or Talargam
The name “Dalar” comes from “Talar”, meaning a headland, with mutation after the definite article. It refers to land at the edge of a field that has not been ploughed. Locally, this area is also called Talargam (cam = bent).
On close inspection of a particular section of the cliffs, a small spring of fresh water can be found flowing from the rock.
10. Cerrig Slent
This part of the coastline can be identified by its distinctive steep cliff and the wide foreshore in front of it, often covered in green seaweed.
“Slent” is related to the word “slant”, describing the slope of the cliff. There is also a suggestion that the name relates to quarrying activity, which aligns with the shape of the rock and historical evidence of limestone quarrying along this part of the Anglesey coast.
11. Porth yr Aber
“Porth” means a door or opening (a common name for beaches in this area), and “Aber” refers to the mouth of a river where it meets the sea. A small river flows into the sea here. Usually slow-moving, it can become fast-flowing after heavy rain.
There are small rock pools on the northern side of the beach, and at low tide a large area of sand is exposed. It is a good spot for swimming and for digging bait for fishing. On the southern cliff of the beach, there is a prominent cave known as Ogof Robin Rogo.
12. Ogof Robin Rogo (Robin of the Cave)
This cave is linked to local folklore. Robin Rogo was a fictional character, believed to have been created by parents to warn children of dangerous coastal areas at a time when children roamed freely without supervision.
According to legend, Robin could appear near cliffs, quicksand, or other hazards without warning. He was described as a strong, muscular dwarf with intense eyes and a pointed cap.
13. Porth y Rhos
“Rhos” is a common place name on the island (e.g. Rhosmeirch, Rhosgoch), meaning heathland or rough, uncultivated land.
Village children once thought of it as a “rose beach” due to the pink sea thrift flowers growing there. According to birdwatcher T.G. Walker, many birds could be seen here, and he spent long periods observing them at Porth y Rhos.
(Information provided by Valmai Rees-Jones, Catherine Davies, Bedwyr Rees and Aeron Rees)