Several grand residences in Amlwch housed the elite mining agents, industrialists, and professionals who shaped the town during its 19th-century peak. These homes were symbols of social status and administrative power
Mona Lodge
Built in 1785, this house was one of the grandest in Amlwch.
- Occupants: James Treweek and his family moved there in 1811. The house was expansive, featuring ten bedrooms, a ballroom, and specialized entertaining rooms such as a billiard room and smoking room. By the late 19th century, it was the home of Thomas Fanning Evans.
- James Treweek was instrumental in establishing the Amlwch English Methodist Church in 1832 . Thomas Fanning Evans served as a magistrate, High Sheriff of Anglesey, and a major mine proprietor who struggled to maintain production during the industry’s decline at the end of the 19th Century.
Parys Lodge
Situated in Parys Lodge Square, this was the primary residence for the agents of the Parys Mountain Mining Company.
- The Dyer family lived here from 1835 to 1879. It featured two front parlours, kitchens, and stables for eight horses. The house was eventually demolished around 1961.
- Charles Bunt Dyer served as the Chief Agent for the Parys Mountain Mining Company. Under his 21-year management, the company turned a profit of £400,000. He also served as a trustee of the harbour and vice president of the Amlwch Volunteer Force.
Ty Mawr (The Dinorben Arms)
While widely known as a hotel, Ty Mawr was originally the largest house in the village and a center of civic life.
- In 1784, it was occupied by the Roose family; Stephen Roose retired from business there in 1813 . Owen Jones held the tenancy from 1813 to 1847.
- In 1784, the building served as a courthouse. Under Owen Jones, it became the “hub of up-market Amlwch life,” hosting property auctions, hiring fairs for farm workers, and meetings for the Amlwch Society for the Prosecution of Felons.
Penrallt
- Occupants: This was the residence of mine agent Thomas Tiddy until the strike of 1860. Following his departure, Captain Thomas Mitchell, a Cornish mining engineer, moved in. His granddaughter, Ethel Ann, described the house as the “epitome of social superiority,” though it was notoriously damp.
- Thomas Tiddy was a significant agent whose dealings were often controversial among miners. Thomas Mitchell managed the Parys Mine and the Parys Copper Corporation and was reportedly the first person in Amlwch to own a penny-farthing cycle.
Frondeg
Built in 1828, Frondeg was another substantial private residence.
- Henry Hills, a chemical manufacturer, moved from London to Frondeg in 1842. In 1861, the house was occupied by Benjamin Roose, a prominent local solicitor.
- Henry Hills founded Gwaith Hills, a chemical works that produced sulphuric acid and artificial fertilizers. The works became a vital local employer, particularly as the copper industry declined.
Bodednyfed (Mawr and Bach)
- Nicholas Treweek, the eldest son of James Treweek, lived at Bodednyfed for thirty years starting in 1831. The estate was sold in 1869 to William Hughes, a wealthy cotton trader.
- Nicholas Treweek was a major shipbuilder and timber merchant. Between 1825 and 1855, he built or managed over fifty ships, providing significant employment at the harbour.
Maesllwyn Fawr
- This was the home of John Wynne Paynter senior.
- Paynter served as a Justice of the Peace for the County of Anglesey 33. His family was deeply involved in local commerce, including the management of Melin Borth (the windmill) and various legal and insurance services in the town.
Glanrafon
- Located off Queen Street, it was originally the home of Cornelius Williams, a leading corn merchant. In 1878, his daughter Anne married Charles Stephen Dyer, and they resided there.
- Cornelius Williams was a prominent businessman in the 1840s. His son-in-law, Charles Stephen Dyer, followed the family tradition as a mineral agent.