Things to do in Prestatyn, North Wales
The seaside resort of Prestatyn is on the north east coast of Wales, between Rhyl and Holywell.
The Romans later had a fort on the road from Chester to Caernarfon and remains of a Roman bathhouse were uncovered.
The name Prestatyn probably began as "preosta", meaning "priest", and "tun" meaning "farm" or "town".
By 1086 the settlement was listed as Prestetone in the Domesday Book, which actually only covered land in England, but at that time Prestatyn was in England not Wales.
It belonged to Robert de Banastre, a Norman, but Owain Gwynedd destroyed the castle ten years later and the Banastres moved away to Bretherton in Lancashire.
At either end of the High Street are two manor houses, called "faenols". They were named Pendre, which means "top of town" and Penisadre which means "lower end of town".
Prestatyn remained a small fishing village until the arrival of the railway in the 19th century.
Victorian holidaymakers flocked to the coast and "Sunny Prestatyn" flourished with its beach, promenade and entertainment.
Pontin's still has a popular Holiday Camp at Prestatyn Sands Centre on the seafront.
In 1965 the first Kwik Save supermarket opened in Prestatyn. The chain was eventually taken over by Somerfield in 2007.
Present Day Prestatyn
In 2001, Prestatyn had a population of over 18,000 residents. Although primarily it was a tourist resort, it is now diversifying.
The town has a railway station on the North Wales Coast railway line with trains running from Holyhead to Chester.
The seafront is being revamped with bowling, quad bikes and other fun attractions. Five miles offshore the North Hoyle Wind Farm can be seen. It was the first offshore wind farm to be built in the UK and now has 30 turbines powering around 40,000 homes.
Things to do in Prestatyn
Prestatyn is at the north end of the Offa's Dyke Footpath which traces the route of the Welsh-English border for 177 miles. It is also on the long distance North Wales Path making it popular with hikers in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Just three miles away is the dramatic Talacre Beach, with its haunting abandoned lighthouse which makes for some dramatic photographs.
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Days Out in Prestatyn
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Rhuddlan Castle (4 Miles)*
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Denbigh Castle (10 Miles)*
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Lady Lever Art Gallery (16 Miles)*
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Bodnant Garden (17 Miles)*
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Conwy Castle (17 Miles)*
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Museum of Liverpool (17 Miles)*-national-museums-liverpool-154x115.jpg)
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International Slavery Museum (17 Miles)*
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Plas Mawr Elizabethan Town House (17 Miles)*
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Seized! The Border and Customs Uncovered (17 Miles)*markmcnulty-154x115.jpg)
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Merseyside Maritime Museum (17 Miles)*
Places to Visit near Prestatyn
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Dyserth (2 Miles)*
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Talacre (3 Miles)*
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Rhyl (4 Miles)*
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Abergele (8 Miles)*
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West Kirby (9 Miles)*
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Denbigh (10 Miles)*
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Colwyn Bay (13 Miles)*
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Rhos-on-Sea (14 Miles)*
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Ruthin (15 Miles)*
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Ruthin (15 Miles)*
Also near Prestatyn |
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