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The first known habitation of Anglesey is know to have occurred during the Mesolithic period around 7000BC. During this time the island is thought to have been inhabited by numerous tribes, who over the next several millennia left their legacy on the island in the form of hill forts, standing stones and burial chambers, of which many are still evident today. Although many artifacts of this period have been uncovered by archaeologists, the most notable find occurred in 1943 at Llyn Cerrig Bach.
Workers, dredging a lake in preparation for the building of a new runway for the nearby RAF base, discovered a length of chain in the peat bog next to the waters. Not realising what an amazing discovery they had made, the chain was used by the group to pull stuck vehicles out of the mud. It was a short while later that the chain was examined and was found to be an ancient artifact which at one time was used to tie groups of slaves together. On further examination of the area, scores of relics were discovered including numerous spearheads a bronze trumpet, and parts of a chariot. The items were all dated to between the second century BC and the first century AD, which was the time just prior to to the Roman occupation of Anglesey at the height of the Celtic era. It is thought that the items discovered had been thrown into the bog, which at that time would have been part of the lake as a sacrifice following a victory in battle.
Anglesey was one of the last strongholds of the Celts and their priests the druids. An army led by Gaius Suetonius Paulinus during the first century AD, defeated the Celts slaughtering many and destroying the groves of oak trees which were considered sacred to the druids. The Roman army occupied the island until the beginning of the fourth century AD, when their forces were withdrawn from Anglesey. It was during this time that Irish forces began making numerous raids on the island, and it is thought that many Irish invaders settled on the island. It was only in 400 AD when war broke out, and Welsh forces with the help of Celt warriors from the north of England were able to expel the Irish from Anglesey.
Rulership of the island now fell to the King of North Wales, who is remembered for the marriage arranged between his daughter Branwen and the King of Ireland, Matloch. Designed to ease tensions between the two nations, the marriage inevitably caused even more bloodshed. After their wedding ceremony at Aberffraw, Matloch returned with his new bride to Ireland. Word soon returned to Anglesey of Branwen's ill treatment by the King, and war was declared between the two lands. Following a great loss of life on both sides, Branwen was returned to Anglesey, where it is said that she died of a broken heart, devastated by the destruction which she felt responsible for. The Mabinogion, one of Wales most famous traditional tales is based on the story of Branwen.
Under the continued rulership of the Welsh, the Celtic Christian church made its appearance on Anglesey during the early medieval period with the founding of two monasteries at Holyhead, by St.Cybi, and Penmon by St.Seiriol. It was also at this time that the island came under increasing attack from Viking raiders, who caused the destruction of a number of settlements and most notably the Royal seat at Aberffraw. It was only at the end of the 12th century when the attacks ended that the island flourished and many new churches were built, most of which are still in use today.
The 14th century brought great change to Anglesey, with invasion by English forces led by Edward 1st. Following a number of campaigns against the last prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, Edward was able to claim victory after cutting off grain shipments from Anglesey to the Welsh army. It is from this period that Anglesey gets it's Welsh name of 'Mon Mam Gymru' meaning Anglesey Mother of Wales. Following his victory Edward built a number of castles in the vicinity including Beaumaris Castle, built along the Menai Straits.
The next notable event in Anglesey's history came in the 18th century, when Paris Mountain, the largest copper mine in the world at the time was used to source copper for use in the Napoleonic wars. Used for coinage, metal plating for ships and firearms the mine employed over 1500 people in the 1760's, it was only at the end of the wars that the demand suddenly declined and production ended at the mine. Virtually hollowed out the mountain was left with a lunar-like landscape.
In 1800 the union between Great Britain and Ireland brought new opportunities for the two countries with Holyhead becoming a key port for crossing the Irish sea. In 1810 Thomas Telford was given the go ahead to begin work on a new road through North Wales and across Anglesey. The plans also included the construction of the Menai suspension bridge, the worlds first major suspension bridge, which linked the island to the mainland. With the coming of the railways several decades later and the construction of the Britannia bridge which became the main rail route from London to a port serving Dublin, Anglesey became a prosperous and thriving island.