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Y Felinheli (Welsh pronunciation), formerly known in English as Port Dinorwic, is a village and community beside the Menai Strait (Welsh: Y Fenai or Afon Menai) between Bangor and Caernarfon in Gwynedd, northwest Wales.

Y Felinheli
Road bridge at Y Felinheli marina
Y Felinheli Location within Gwynedd
Area	2.28 sq mi (5.9 km2)
Population	2,284 (2011)
• Density	1,002/sq mi (387/km2)
Language	Welsh English
OS grid reference	SH525675
Community	Y Felinheli
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
UK Parliament	Arfon
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament	Arfon
Website	http://felinheli.org/
List of places UK Wales Gwynedd 53.183°N 4.210°W / 53.183; -4.210

History

Toponymy

Etymologically, its name comes from the Welsh y meaning the, melin meaning mill and heli, meaning brine/salt-water/sea. An alternative interpretation is from Y Felin Heulyn, "the mill on the River Heulyn", which refers to the river that 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 Heulyn. The mill was rebuilt closer to the sea in 1633 and gave its name to the settlement.[2] 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.[3]

The owners of the Vaynol Estate, the Assheton Smiths, owned most of the land in Y Felinheli and developed the Dinorwic Quarry[4] 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.[5] 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[6] organizes dinghy racing.

Demographics

Population

Number

The population of the village was 2,284 at the 2011 Census.[7] As of 2019, it is estimated that the village's population is 2,465.[8]

Density

In June 2018, the population density in Y Felinheli was 412 per square kilometre (1,067/sq mi), compared to 49 per square kilometre (127/sq mi) for Gwynedd.

Languages

Welsh

According to the United Kingdom Census 2011, 64.3% of all usual residents aged 3+ in Y Felinheli could speak Welsh.[9] This compared to 65.4% for Gwynedd as a whole. 89.4% of all usual residents aged 3+ who were born in Wales could speak Welsh.[10] The percentages of Y Felinheli residents having Welsh-language skills are as follows:

Welsh language skill[11][12]	No. of persons	Percentage of persons aged 3+
Can understand spoken Welsh	1,431	65.4%
Can speak, read or write Welsh	1,429	65.3%
Can speak Welsh	1,407	64.3%
Can read Welsh	1,275	58.3%
Can write Welsh	1,213	55.4%
Can speak, read and write Welsh	1,196	54.6%

As of January 2018, 82.9% of pupils aged 5 or over in the village's primary school (Ysgol Y Felinheli) spoke Welsh at home.[13]

In 2001, 72.1% of all usual residents aged 3+ in Y Felinheli could speak Welsh. 73.4% could speak it in 1991.[14]

Other languages

According to the 2011 Census, 6% of Y Felinheli's population spoke a language other than English or Welsh as their main language. The most common was Arabic, with 2.92% speaking it as their main language.[15]

Identity

According to the 2011 Census, 59.7% of the population noted that they had Welsh-only national identity, with 35.6% noting that they had no Welsh national identity at all.[16]

Country of Birth

The 2011 Census noted that 91.1% of the population was born in the United Kingdom. 66.1% of the population was born in Wales and 23.8% of the population born in England. 5.7% of the population was born outside the European Union.[17]

Transport

The A487 road by-pass, completed in 1994, has removed much traffic congestion from the main street. The nearest railway station as the crow flies is across the Menai Strait at Llanfairpwll (2 miles (3.2 km)). The next nearest (not involving travelling by boat) is at Bangor (4 miles (6.4 km)).[18]

Historically, the passenger railway station Port Dinorwic was open between 1852 and 1960. There was also a narrow gauge railway running from the town to Dinorwic Quarry on the Dinorwic Railway (later Padarn Railway) to carry slate.

Education

Welsh language parent-and-toddler group Cylch Ti a Fi Y Felinheli and a Welsh-language playgroup Cylch Meithrin Y Felinheli currently serves the community with the support of Mudiad Meithrin.

Ysgol Gynradd Y Felinheli provides Welsh-medium primary education to the village and the surrounding area. As of 2021, there were 187 pupils enrolled at the school.[19]

In terms of secondary education, the village is in the catchment area of three secondary schools, namely Ysgol Tryfan, Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen and Ysgol Friars.

Governance

Local Government

Y Felinheli forms part of the Bethel a'r Felinheli ward and is currently represented in Gwynedd Council by Plaid Cymru councillors Sasha Ellen Fraser Williams and Iwan Huws.[20] The village also has a Community Council.[21]

Senedd

The village is currently represented in the Senedd by Arfon constituency member Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru).

It is also represented by four North Wales regional members, namely Carolyn Thomas (Labour), Llyr Huws Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru), Sam Rowlands and Mark Isherwood (Welsh Conservatives).

House of Commons

The village is currently represented in the House of Commons by Arfon constituency member Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru), who was previously MP for the Caernarfon constituency from 2001.

Culture

The first National Cerdd Dant Festival was held in Y Felinheli in 1947.[22]

The local carnival committee organises the annual Gŵyl Y Felinheli.[23]

Sport

The local football team, CPD Y Felinheli celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017.[24][25] For the 2021–22 season, the team was selected by the FAW to be part of the newly created Ardal Leagues North West.[26]

A private members sailing club, Clwb Hwylio Y Felinheli, has been based in the village, on the banks of the Menai Strait, since 1947. As of 2015, it had 136 youth members who have been trained at the club.[27]

References

Bibliography

• Jones, Reg Chambers (1992), Felinheli A Personal History of the Port of Dinorwic, Bridge Books, ISBN 1-872424-26-0

External links

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

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