Penysarn

Penysarn is sometimes written 'Pen-y-sarn', but in both cases, the 'y' is silent. The English translation from Welsh means 'the end of the causeway'.

Penysarn grew throughout the 18th century, close to what was once the world's largest copper mine, located at Parys Mountain. During this time, the mountain and surrounding area had their own nationally recognized currency, known as the Parys Penny, or Anglesey Penny. These coins were made from copper mined at the mountain.

The village's early expansion was principally due to employment opportunities created by the busy mines and from providing ancillary services such as clog-making, blacksmithing and baking. Several light industrial companies existed in Penysarn until the 1990s, but employment today is largely limited to core services, such as the village shop and school. Tourism has brought some business opportunities, with the creation of a small camping and caravan site and several properties being rented out as holiday cottages, but most workers living in Penysarn today commute to local towns for work.

The village is the starting point for several, officially designated, circular tourist walks. These include industrial heritage walks such as Llwybr Cadi Rondol, which takes walkers through the old copper mines at Mynydd Parys, and Llwybr Eilian, which takes walkers through Llaneilian and the surrounding countryside.

• Lewis William Lewis "Llew Llwyfo", (1831 - 1901), poet, novelist, journalist, conductor, singer and winner of several Eistoddfodau.
• John Eilian Jones (1904 - 1985), journalist, poet and broadcaster.