Y Felinheli

Y Felinheli
240px Road bridge at Y Felinheli marina
Y Felinheli  Y Felinheli shown within Gwynedd
Population	2,284 (2011)
OS grid reference	SH525675
Principal area	Gwynedd
Ceremonial county	Gwynedd
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Y FELINHELI
Postcode district	LL56
Dialling code	01248
Police	North Wales
Fire	North Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
EU Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Caernarfon
Welsh Assembly	Arfon
List of places UK Wales Gwynedd

File:Eglwys y Santes Fair-St Mary's Church, Y Felinheli - geograph.org.uk - 764139.jpg

St Mary's Church

Y Felinheli, formerly known in English as Port Dinorwic, is a village beside the Menai Strait (Welsh: Y Fenai or Afon Menai) between Bangor and Caernarfon in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The population was about 2,080 in 2007, increasing to 2,284 at the 2011 Census.

History

Toponymy

Etymologically its name comes from the Welsh y meaning the, melin mill and heli brine/salt-water/sea. (An alternative interpretation is from Y Felinheulyn, the mill on the River Heulyn which runs into the village.)

Origins

Y Felinheli has its origins in two hamlets, Tafarngrisiau near St Mary's Church and Aberpwll to the north-east where there was a mill on the Afon Heilyn. The mill was rebuilt closer to the sea in 1633 and its name, Aber y felin gave the settlement its name. The area was largely agricultural until the area was transformed by slate quarrying in the 19th century. A new dock was built in 1828 when lime was extracted at Brynadda and slate and lime were loaded and culm (coal dust or anthracite slack) was brought in to fire the lime kilns.

The owners of the Vaynol Estate, the Assheton Smiths, owned most of the land in Y Felinheli and developed the Dinorwic Quarry in the late 18th century, They also built the harbour to export slate transported to the quay by the Dinorwic Railway, a narrow gauge railway that was subsequently replaced by the Padarn Railway. Industrial expansion gave Y Felinheli (Felin-hely, 1838) the alternative name Port Dinorwig or Port Dinorwic.

Harbour

The harbour is a centre for pleasure boating and sailing. It has moorings, a marina and yacht support businesses, including rigging, sail making and boatyards. The boatyard was constructed before the Second World War for building landing craft. Its slipway, probably the largest in North Wales is in private ownership, is usable at most states of tide. The local sailing club organizes dinghy racing.

Demographics

Demographically, according to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the number of speakers of the Welsh language in all age groups was 72%, with the highest percentage of Welsh speakers being in the 5–9 range (97.8%). This means that Y Felinheli was the 49th most Welsh-speaking electoral division by percentage in Wales.

According to the United Kingdom Census 2011, 64.3% all usual residents aged 3+ in Y Felinheli could speak Welsh. However, the percentage of persons age 3-15 who could speak Welsh was 83.5%. and according to the 2014 estyn report on the village primary school, of the 155 pupils enrolled, 75% were from Welsh speaking homes. Most residents work in Caernarfon or Bangor.

Transport

The A487 road by-pass, constructed in 1993/94, has removed much traffic congestion from the main street. The nearest railway station is across the Menai Straight at Llanfairpwll (2 miles (3.2 km)), with the next nearest at Bangor (4 miles (6.4 km)).

Culture and sport

The local carnival committee organises the annual Gŵyl Felin.

There is a local football team.

External links

• Community Council
• geograph photos of Y Felinheli and surrounding area
• Y Felinheli/Port Dinorwic Marina