Trelawnyd Tourist Information

Trelawnyd - meaning "Town full of wheat" - is also known as "Newmarket" because the hamlet on the site was once transformed by a plan to make it the market town for this part of the country. The originator of the scheme was English rather than Welsh, hence the English name. However, that plan failed and St Asaph remained the local market town, succeeded in the position not by Trelawnyd, but Rhyl.

Regardless, the village has a lively sense of community, with various events taking place throughout the year. The annual Open Gardens competition is always of a high standard. Trelawnyd boasts a highly regarded Male Voice Choir, held to be one of the premier choirs of Wales.

Outside these events, attractions include the fine carved cross in the churchyard and the curious mound on the hill above the village. Known as Gop Hill, the mound is the second largest Bronze Age burial mound in Britain (Silbury Hill is the largest). Local rumour has it that Queen Boadiccea was buried here but, as is often the case, that has neither been proved nor disproved. However the hollow in the top of the mound does seem to indicate the presence of a collapsed burial chamber.

If the day is fine and you have the time, it is worth parking in the village and climbing to the top of Gop Hill. The view over Liverpool Bay is fantastic and on a clear day you can see Blackpool Tower and the mountains of the Lake District to the north, and a splendid panorama of Snowdonia to the west.

Description by Kendall K. Down