Anglesey

Anglesey or Ynys Môn (Welsh: Ynys Môn [ˈənɨs ˈmoːn]) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. With an area of 276 square miles (715 km²), Anglesey is by far the largest island of Wales and the fifth-largest island surrounding Great Britain (and the largest outside Scotland). Anglesey is also the largest island in the Irish Sea by area, and the second most populous island in the Irish Sea (after the Isle of Man). The population at the 2011 census was 69,751. Two bridges span the Menai Strait, connecting the island to the mainland: the Menai Suspension Bridge, designed by Thomas Telford in 1826, and the Britannia Bridge.

Formerly a historic county of Wales and later part of Gwynedd, Anglesey today makes up the Isle of Anglesey County along with Holy Island and other smaller islands. Almost three-quarters of Anglesey's inhabitants are Welsh speakers and Ynys Môn, the Welsh name for the island, is used for the UK Parliament and National Assembly constituencies.

Etymology

"Anglesey" is derived from Old Norse, originally meaning either ǫngullsey ("Hook Island") or Ǫnglisey ("Ǫngli's Island"). No record of any such Ǫngli survives, but the place name was used by Viking raiders as early as the 10th century and was later adopted by the Normans during their invasions of Gwynedd. The traditional folk etymology reading the name as the "Island of the English" may account for its Norman use but is without merit, although the Angles' name itself is probably a cognate reference to the shape of the Angeln peninsula. All of these ultimately derive from the proposed Proto-Indo-European root *ank- ("to flex, bend, angle"). It was also formerly spelled as Anglesea.

Ynys Môn (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 53°15′54″N 4°21′47″W / 53.265°N 4.363°W / 53.265; -4.363

Ynys Môn (Welsh pronunciation: [ˌənɨs ˈmoːn]; called Anglesey until 1983 in English) is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

The Ynys Môn Welsh Assembly constituency was created with the same boundaries in 1999.

History

The Laws in Wales Act 1535 (26 Hen. VIII, c. 26) provided for a single county seat in the House of Commons for each of twelve historic Welsh counties (including Anglesey) and two for Monmouthshire. Using the modern year, starting on 1 January, these parliamentary constituencies were authorised in 1536.

The Act contains the following provision, which had the effect of enfranchising the shire of Anglesey.

And that for this present Parliament, and all other Parliaments to be holden and kept for this Realm, one Knight shall be chosen and elected to the same Parliaments for every of the Shires of Brecknock, Radnor, Mountgomery and Denbigh, and for every other Shire within the said Country of Dominion of Wales;

Anglesey (disambiguation)

Anglesey may refer to the following:

See also