Tourism

Famous painters and writers had been visiting Parys mountain since the last part of the 18th Century and described the scene that they saw.

Reverand Bingly 1798
The ore is not got in the common manner of mining, but is cut out of a bed in the same manner as stone is out of a quarry. A hollow is now formed in the solid ore open to the day, and extends about an hundred yards in length about forty yards in breadth and twenty four yards in depth. the ends are at present undermined, but supported by vast pillars and magnificent arches, all metallic; and these caverns meander far underground. these will soon disappear and thousands of tons of ore be gotten from both the columns and roofs. the sides of this vast hollow are mostly perpendicular and access to the bottom is only to be had by small steps cut in the ore; and the curious visitor must trust to them and a rope, till he reaches some ladders, which will conduct him the rest of the descent. on the edges of the chasm are wooden platforms, which project far out, on them are windlasses ,by which the workmen are lowered to transact their business on the face of the precipice. there suspended, they work in mid air, pick a small space for a footing, cut out the ore in vast masses and tumble it to the bottom with great noise. in such situations they form caverns and there appear safely lodged, till the rope is lowered to convey then up again.

Reverand Bingly 1798
The ore is not got in the common manner of mining, but is cut out of a bed in the same manner as stone is out of a quarry. A hollow is now formed in the solid ore open to the day, and extends about an hundred yards in length about forty yards in breadth and twenty four yards in depth. the ends are at present undermined, but supported by vast pillars and magnificent arches, all metallic; and these caverns meander far underground. these will soon disappear and thousands of tons of ore be gotten from both the columns and roofs. the sides of this vast hollow are mostly perpendicular and access to the bottom is only to be had by small steps cut in the ore; and the curious visitor must trust to them and a rope, till he reaches some ladders, which will conduct him the rest of the descent. on the edges of the chasm are wooden platforms, which project far out, on them are windlasses ,by which the workmen are lowered to transact their business on the face of the precipice. there suspended, they work in mid air, pick a small space for a footing, cut out the ore in vast masses and tumble it to the bottom with great noise. in such situations they form caverns and there appear safely lodged, till the rope is lowered to convey then up again.

In 1823 a horse drawn coach called “Marquis of Anglesey” travelled each morning from the “Freemasons Arms” in Amlwch over the mountain to Llangefni and then on to Bangor ferry where it meet the steam ships of Liverpool which had begun operation in 1822.

It would return to Amlwch with people who wished to view Parys mountain for 6/- for an inside seat and 4/- for an outside berth.
In 1848 Owen Jones wrote a travel book entitled ” Amlwch and the celebrated Mona and Parys copper mines”
While in November 1856 Owen Roberts established a motor business in Salam Street, Amlwch.

By 1893 he was charging 2/- for a round trip from Amlwch to Cemaes bay and 1/- for a trip to the “Roman” swimming Baths at Bull bay.

The following century even the occasional steam ferry day trip to Liverpool to Amlwch could be seen trying to get into the crowded harbour.

In the middle of the C20 a bus depot was established in Amlwch which gave the local population a much greater chance of getting to the local markets in Llangefni , Bangor or even on a day trip to Liverpool by road

In the middle of the C20 a bus depot was established in Amlwch which gave the local population a much greater chance of getting to the local markets in Llangefni , Bangor or even on a day trip to Liverpool by road

For those who did not wish to leave the was always the local cinema.