Menai Bridge, United Kingdom
Menai Bridge is a town of 3,376 people in Wales, United Kingdom.
Why visit Menai Bridge
Townapedia lists 16 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 63 places to eat, 13 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Britannia Bridge, Menai Suspension Bridge, Thomas Telford Centre and Marquess of Anglesey's Column.
Weather in Menai Bridge
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Menai Bridge
Menai Bridge (Welsh: Porthaethwy; usually referred to colloquially as Y Borth) is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in north-west Wales. It overlooks the Menai Strait and lies by the Menai Suspension Bridge, built in 1826 by Thomas Telford, just over the water from Bangor. Menai Bridge has a population of 3,376.
From the Wikipedia article Menai Bridge (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Menai Bridge on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Photos of Menai Bridge
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Things to do3
Menai Suspension Bridge
Bridge · 0.6 mi
Bridge between Anglesey and mainland Wales
Museums and landmarks16
Marquess of Anglesey's Column
Monument and historic site · 1.2 mi
Monument in Anglesey, Wales
Menai Heritage
Museum
Local history and technology museum in Anglesey, Wales, United Kingdom
The Cambria
Monument and historic site · 0.5 mi
Ffordd Cambria, Porthaethwy / Menai Bridge
HMS Conway
Monument and historic site · 0.6 mi
Royal Navy training school
Pili Palas
Monument and historic site · 0.9 mi
Ffordd Penmynydd, Menai Bridge
10:00 - 17:30
Llanfairpwll Toll House
Monument and historic site · 1.4 mi
Ffordd Caergybi/Holyhead Road, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
4 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes63
Spice Island Menai Bridge
Restaurant · Indian
13 High Street, Porthaethwy / Menai Bridge
Fr,Sa 17:00-23:00; Su-Th 17:00-22:30
The Liverpool Arms
Bar and pub · 0.4 mi
St. George's Road, Menai Bridge
Tu-Th 16:00-22:00; Fr 16:00-23:00; Sa 12:00-23:00
Four Crosses
Bar and pub · 0.5 mi
Ffordd Penmynydd, Menai Bridge
Mo-Su 12:00-23:00
51 more on the map.
History
The town existed as Porthaethwy for centuries and still has a house which dates from the 17th century. The name derives from Porth (harbour) + Daethwy (the name of a local Celtic tribe and later of a local medieval commote). It is likely that a community existed here in Roman times as it is the shortest crossing of the Menai Strait.
In the 9th century, St Tysilio lived here as a hermit on Church Island.
A ferry across the Menai was first recorded in 1292. When the bridge opened in 1826, the ferry closed, but connections with the sea remained through the import, export and shipbuilding trades.
Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass (1872) mentions the Menai Bridge in chapter 8 in a nonsense song.
Read more of the history
From 1877 to 1920, the ship HMS Clio was docked at Menai Bridge; it was lent to the North Wales Society to teach young men the ways of seafaring. Many local people believed the ship was used for some type of prison, but this was not entirely true. The ship was home to young men who were in need of discipline to keep them from getting into serious trouble; some were sent to the Clio against their will. The young men on the Clio were not permitted to leave the ship; some of the corporal punishment administered was cruel. Stories about life on the Clio were commonplace among the residents of Menai Bridge; for many years, some mothers threatened their misbehaving children with being sent to live on the ship.
On 12 November 1918, Major Thomas Elmhirst (later Air Marshal Sir Thomas Elmhirst), commanding officer of RNAS Anglesey, flew airship SSZ73 under the Menai Bridge following the armistice at the end of World War I.
Carreg yr Halen is a small tidal island in the Menai Strait. Its centre lies approximately 20 metres offshore from the Belgian Promenade just upstream of the suspension bridge. Only the rocky tip of the island is visible at high spring tide but at low tide area of rock, sand and some seaweed are exposed which provides feeding ground for a variety of wading birds including oystercatcher, redshank, and curlew.
It is the site of one of the many ferry crossings of the Menai Strait which were in use prior to the construction of the suspension bridge in 1826
In 1914, Belgian refugees from Mechelen, who had settled in the area, built a promenade (the Belgian promenade) out of gratitude for the town's hospitality. The promenade was built along the Menai Strait from Ynys Tysilio (Church Island) to Carreg yr Halen and was completed in 1916. It was rebuilt in 1963. The ceremonial reopening in 1965 was performed by the only surviving refugee, Eduard Wilhelms. Most of the refugees lived at three houses in Menai Bridge, with 12 housed at the Village Hall in Llandegfan. Most of the men were skilled in marquetry.
A special celebration was held in 2014 at Menai Bridge to celebrate to centenary of the construction of the promenade.
From the History section of Menai Bridge on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Menai Bridge
Wilfred Mitford DaviesBritish painterPhoto: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0- Alun OwenBritish screenwriter (1925-1994)
- Alan HalsallWelsh footballer (born 1940)
- Dafydd Rhys ap ThomasWelsh Old Testament scholar
- Jane Helen Rowlandslinguist, teacher and missionary (1891-1955)
Born in Menai Bridge, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay13
Churches and places of worship21
St. Mary's Llanfairpwllgwyngyll Parish Church
Church · Anglican · 1.2 mi
Shopping12
Dylan's Menai Bridge - Baked Goods & General Store
Shop
4 High Street, Porthaethwy / Menai Bridge
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries22
Healthcare3
Map of Menai Bridge
174 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
RAF Valley - Anglesey Airport (VLY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 15 miles away.
- Bangor 2 mi east, about 3 min by car
- Tregarth 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Penmaenmawr 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- Penygroes 13 mi south, about 21 min by car
- Rhosneigr 14 mi west, about 23 min by car
- Llandudno 15 mi northeast, about 25 min by car
- Valley 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Colwyn Bay 19 mi east, about 30 min by car
- Holyhead 20 mi west, about 32 min by car
- Porthmadog 21 mi south, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Menai Bridge
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Brittania Bridge, Anglesey, Cymru (Wales); June 2023, Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pont y Borth (Menai Suspension Bridge) a godwyd gan Telford, rhwng Ynys Mon a Gwynedd; Mehefin 2023 12, Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Porthaethwy - Eglwys y Santes Fair Gradd II gan Cadw 04, Monsyn, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St Edwen's Church from Plas Newydd estate, J Scott, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Eglwys Credifael, Penmynydd, 2007, GeraintTudur2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bangor University (50555605717), Andrew Woodvine from Bangor, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Canolfan Thomas Telford Centre, Warrenkovach, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady and St James, Bangor, Andrew Woodvine from Bangor, CC BY-SA 2.0
- St Mary's Church and surrounding area, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll - y Santes Fair; Ynys Môn, Cymru Wales 01, Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Church Of St. Tysilio, GeraintTudur2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nantporth, Kev Williams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Treborth Botanical Garden 01, CV1958 (Colin Viney), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Friars-ffriddoedd, Unknown author, Public domain
- Front of Ysgol Tryfan, Bangor, GeraintTudur2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, User:Chadwales, Public domain
- The Cambria, Huwpritchard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Capel Mawr, Porthaethwy, Reading Tom from Reading, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Ysgol Gynradd y Borth, Huwpritchard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Menai, GeraintTudur2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Anglesey Arms, Huwpritchard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bulkeley Arms, Huwpritchard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Liverpool Arms, Huwpritchard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nantporth main stand 2013, Cls14, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St Tysilio's Church, Menai Bridge (7594), Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Brigantia, Bangor, 12xii, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fron Heulog, Bangor, 12xii, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front - plant (1), BangorWeb, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Colofn Ardalydd Môn, Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll, Ynys Môn - Marquess of Anglesey's Column monument in Anglesey, Wales 07, Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, noseinthewind, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, noseinthewind, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, noseinthewind, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, noseinthewind, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, noseinthewind, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, trigpoint, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, trigpoint, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, trigpoint, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, annekaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
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