HOLYHEAD, is a sea-port and market-town of North Wales. It is situated on a small island, on the north-wcst side of the island of Anglesey, and denominated in British Carr Cybi, or the fortified place of Cybi. The town con sists of one principal street, with detached buildings. The collegiate, now the parochial church, is a handsome embat tled cruciform structure, consisting of a chancel, nave, aisles, and transept, with a square tower, which supports a low flat spire. It appears to have been built about the time of Edward 111. An assembly-room and baths, and a large new inn and hotel, have lately been opened. There is also here a free-school, established in 1757. This place seems to have been once in the possession of the Humans. On the summit of the mountain called Pen Caer Cybi, stands a circular building, (called Caer t:vr,) 60 feet in diameter, supposed by Pennant to have been a watch-tower. A long dry wall, 10 feet high, in many places faced and quite en tire, runs along the side of the mountain. The precincts of the church-yard seem also to be ancient. Three of the sides of the parallelogram consist of massy walls, 17 feet high and 6 feet thick ; the fourth is open to the harbour. At each angle is a circular bastion tower, and round the walls are two rows of round openings or oeillets, four inches in diameter, having the inside smoothly plastered.
As the island on which the town stands is the point of land nearest to Dublin, regular packets are stationed here for the accommodation of travellers passing between Eng land and Ireland. the distance between Holyhead and Dublin is 20 leagues, a voyage which is generally perform ed in 12 hours, though sometimes in six. In stormy wea ther the packets have sometimes been two or three days at sea. Six packets are in the constant employment of the Post-office. One goes out every day except Thursday, and returns next morning. These packets are well con structed and well manned, so that se thusaccidents very seldom happen.
The harbour of Holyhead is formed by the cliffs under the church-yard, and a small island called Inys Cybi, on which there is a light. This harbour has been lately much improved. A pier has been built on the eastern side of it, to enable vessels to ride at anchor in four faction-, of wa ter. In connection with this improvement, a new road has been made quite across the country from Cadnant island, near Bangor ferry, to the harbour, which saves seven miles.
A new light-house has also been erected on a small island, or rather projecting rock, to the west of the head called the South Stack. The light, which is a revolving one, is about 200 feet above the level of the sea. In order to see the light-house, persons are wafted over by ropes in a kind of basket. The promontory, called the Head, is a huge mass of rocks excavated by the sea into the most magnifi cent caves, one of which, called the Parliament-house, is peculiarly fine. It is accessible only by boats at half ebb tide, and exhibits grand receding arches of different shapes, supported by magnificent pillars of rock. The promontory consists of lofty cliffs excavated into large caverns, which afford shelter to swarms of birds, such as pigeons, gulls, razor-bills, ravens, guillemots, cormorants, and herons. The peregrine falcon is found on the loftiest crags. As the eggs of many of the above-mentioned birds are consi dered as delicious food, and are therefore in high request, many of the people of the country earn their subsistence in the dangerous occupation of collecting the eggs. In order to accomplish their purpose, a strong stake is driven into the ground at a little distance from the edge of the cliff, and a rope is tied to it of sufficient length to reach the low est nests. The adventurer ties the rope about his middle, and, with the.coil on his arm, he seizes it with both hands, and gradually descends the cliff, placing his feet against its sides, and shifting his hands with great caution. When he reaches the nest, he holds by the right hand, and with his left seizes the eggs, and places them in a basket slung over his back.
The island on which Holyhead stands is called Holy Island, and received this name from the number of pious persons who were buried upon it. It consists chiefly of bare rocks and sterile sands. In the southern part of it, near Four Mile Bridge, is a quarry of serpentine or mar ble, containing a green amianthus.
The channel, which divides this island from the rest of Anglesea, is narrow, and may be forded at some places at low water. The great Irish road passes over a bridge called Rhyd y Pont.
The following is the population of the town in 1811 : Sec Pennant's Aur ; and The Beauties of England and Irides, vol. xvii. p. 245-253.