In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Holy Island like this:
HOLY ISLAND, or Holyhead Island, an island in the W of Anglesey; divided, by an isthmus, into the parishes of Holyhead and Rhoscolyn. It extends from NW to SE; measures about 8 miles in length, and about 3½ in maximum breadth; and is separated from the rest of Anglesey by a sandy strait, in some places fordable at low water. ...
The turnpike road and the railway cross the strait on a long causeway or embankment, with an arched water way or bridge in the middle, through which a tremendous current rushes at the turn of the tide. A rocky eminence near Rhoscolyn church commands an excellent view of the island, "rivalling, on a clear day, some of the finest portions of the coasts of Italy." See HOLYHEAD and RHOSCOLYN.
Holy Island through time
Holy Island is now part of the Isle of Anglesey district. Click here for graphs and data of how the Isle of Anglesey has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Holy Island itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Holy Island in The the Isle of Anglesey | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/25617
Date accessed: 30th October 2024
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