Porthdinllaen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Porthdinllaen |
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 Porthdinllaen seen from Morfa Nefyn |
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 Porthdinllaen
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| Population | 2 |
| OS grid reference | SH276416 |
| Community |
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| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Pwllheli |
| Postcode district | LL53 |
| Dialling code | 01758 |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament |
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| Welsh Assembly |
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Porthdinllaen is a tiny village right on the coast of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales. It's built on a small piece of land that sticks out into the sea. This special village is close to a bigger village called Morfa Nefyn.
Since 1994, Porthdinllaen has been owned by the National Trust, an organization that protects special places. From here, you can see amazing views of mountains like Yr Eifl and Snowdonia. Porthdinllaen, along with Nefyn and Morfa Nefyn, forms a beautiful bay about 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) wide. There are only about 24 buildings in Porthdinllaen, and the famous Tŷ Coch Inn is right in the middle!
If you want to visit, you usually have to walk! Cars are only allowed for people who live there and have a special permit. Visitors can walk across the beach from Morfa Nefyn. Or, they can walk across the Nefyn & District Golf Club golf course on top of the headland, past an old Iron Age hill fort.
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Porthdinllaen's Harbour History
Porthdinllaen was once a very important fishing port. It has a natural harbour at the west end of a bay that's over 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) wide. This harbour offers a safe place for ships to anchor, covering more than 100 acres.
The harbour is protected by a piece of land that sticks out to the north. This means it's safe from most winds, except for strong north-easterly ones. Because it was the only safe haven on the Llŷn Peninsula, sailors have used it for hundreds of years. It was a busy place for trading and a safe spot for ships to hide during storms.
In the early 1800s, people thought Porthdinllaen might become the main port for ships traveling to Ireland. This was instead of Holyhead on Anglesey. Even though Porthdinllaen was almost as far west as Holyhead, Holyhead was easier to reach because of new roads built by Thomas Telford.
A company called Porthdinllaen Harbour Company was set up in 1808. They owned the village and the harbour. However, a plan to make Porthdinllaen the main port for Irish trade was turned down in 1810.
Even though it didn't become the main Irish port, Porthdinllaen was still important. Pig farming was a big part of the economy on the Llŷn Peninsula. Porthdinllaen was the main place where pigs were sent from to Liverpool. In 1830, farmers and merchants asked for a bigger pier to be built, but it didn't happen right away. The first steamer, called the Vale of Clwyd, started service in 1832. Besides local goods, Porthdinllaen also brought in lots of salt. This salt was used to help prepare the famous Nefyn herring fish.
Shipbuilding in Porthdinllaen
Porthdinllaen was also a place where ships were built. At first, mostly small sloops were made here. But as people needed bigger ships, they started building schooners and even some brigantines.
For example, in 1786, a 95-ton brigantine called Maria was built. Later, in 1866, a much larger 287-ton barque named Robert Jones was constructed. The last ship built in Porthdinllaen was the 149-ton brigantine Annie Lloyd in 1876.
Lifeboat Station
In the 1800s, roads in north Wales weren't very good. This meant that traveling by sea was often the easiest way to get to many places. Porthdinllaen, with its protected bay, became a very important harbour. It was a safe place for ships to take shelter and a busy port. In 1861, over 700 ships passed through the port!
After some big storms in 1863, the local priest asked the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to place a lifeboat in the harbour. The RNLI is a charity that saves lives at sea.
A special boatshed and a slipway (a ramp for launching boats) were built in 1864. Since then, the lifeboat station has always had a crew ready to help. The current coxswain (the person in charge of the lifeboat) is Mike Davies, who has been leading the crew since 2004.
The old lifeboat, a Tyne class lifeboat called Hetty Rampton, served from 1987. It was replaced in 2012 by a newer, more modern Tamar class lifeboat named John D Spicer.
Porthdinllaen on Screen
Because Porthdinllaen has kept its old-fashioned look so well, it's often used as a place to film movies and TV shows. In September 2004, it was used as a Scottish fishing village for the romantic thriller movie Half Light, which starred Demi Moore.
