Y Felinheli

Etymologically, its name comes from the Welsh y meaning the, melin meaning mill and heli, meaning brine/salt-water/sea. An alternative interpretation is from Y Felin Heulyn, "the mill on the River Heulyn", which refers to the river that runs into the village.

Y Felinheli has its origins in two hamlets, Tafarngrisiau near St Mary's Church and Aberpwll to the north-east where there was a mill on the Afon Heulyn. The mill was rebuilt closer to the sea in 1633 and gave its name to the settlement.{{sfn|Jones|1992|p=9|ps=}} The area was largely agricultural until the area was transformed by slate quarrying in the 19th century. A new dock was built in 1828 when lime was extracted at Brynadda and slate and lime were loaded and culm (coal dust or anthracite slack) was brought in to fire the lime kilns.{{sfn|Jones|1992|p=10|ps=}}

The owners of the Vaynol Estate, the Assheton Smiths, owned most of the land in Y Felinheli and developed the Dinorwic Quarry{{sfn|Jones|1992|p=13|ps=}} in the late 18th century, They also built the harbour to export slate transported to the quay by the Dinorwic Railway, a narrow gauge railway that was subsequently replaced by the Padarn Railway. Industrial expansion gave Y Felinheli (Felin-hely, 1838) the alternative name Port Dinorwig or Port Dinorwic.

The harbour is a centre for pleasure boating and sailing. It has moorings, a marina and yacht support businesses, including rigging, sail making and boatyards.{{citation |url=http://www.dinasboatyard.com|title=Dinas Boat Yard}} The boatyard was constructed before the Second World War for building landing craft. Its slipway, probably the largest in North Wales, is in private ownership; it is usable at most states of tide. The local sailing club{{citation |url=http://www.pdsc.org.uk|title=Port Dinorwic Sailing Club}} organises dinghy racing.

The population of the village was 2,284 at the 2011 Census.{{cite web|title=Community/Ward population 2011|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11131047&c=LL56+4JG&d=16&e=62&g=6489296&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=0&s=1431957537587&enc=1|access-date=18 May 2015}} According to the 2021 Census, Y Felinheli's population was 2,330.{{Cite web |title=Number of usual residents in households and communal establishments - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS001/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

In June 2018, the population density in Y Felinheli was {{convert|412|/km2|/sqmi|0}}, compared to {{convert|49|/km2|/sqmi|0}} for Gwynedd.

According to the 2021 Census, 97.6 per cent of the population considered English or Welsh to be their main language.{{Cite web |title=Proficiency in English - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS029/editions/2021/versions/1 |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

In 2021, 68.3 per cent of all usual residents aged 3+ in Y Felinheli can speak Welsh.{{Cite web |title=Welsh Language Change in the percentage of people aged three years or older able to speak Welsh by LSOA 2011 to 2021 {{!}} DataMapWales |url=https://datamap.gov.wales/layers/geonode:welsh_language_change_2021 |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=datamap.gov.wales |language=en}} 78.6 per cent of the population noted that they could speak, read, write or understand Welsh.{{Cite web |title=Welsh language skills (detailed) - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS032/editions/2021/versions/1 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}} 95.8 per cent of the population who were born in Wales could speak, read, write or understand Welsh.{{Cite web |title=RM160 - Welsh language skills by country of birth - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/c2021rm160 |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}

The 2011 census noted 64.3 per cent of all usual residents aged 3 years and older in the village could speak Welsh.{{Cite web|url=http://www.comisiynyddygymraeg.cymru/English/Policy,%20research%20and%20data/Census%20Data/Pages/2011CensusresultsbyCommunity.aspx|title=Comisiynydd y Gymraeg - 2011 Census results by Community|website=www.comisiynyddygymraeg.cymru|language=en|access-date=2017-11-03}} The 2011 census also noted that 89.4 per cent of all usual residents aged 3+ who were born in Wales could speak Welsh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/lc2206wa|title=LC2206WA (Welsh language skills by country of birth by age) - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics|website=www.nomisweb.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2017-10-27}} The Welsh-language skills of Y Felinheli residents were as follows in 2011 and 2021:

As of June 2023, 63.8 per cent of statutory school age pupils in the village's primary school (Ysgol Y Felinheli) spoke Welsh at home.{{Cite web |title=Ysgol Gynradd Y Felinheli {{!}} Estyn |url=https://www.estyn.gov.wales/provider/6612127 |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=www.estyn.gov.wales |language=en}} 75 per cent spoke Welsh at home in 2014.{{Cite web |title=Ysgol Gynradd Y Felinheli {{!}} Estyn |url=https://www.estyn.gov.wales/provider/6612127 |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=www.estyn.gov.wales |language=en}}

In 2001, 72.1 per cent of all usual residents aged 3+ in Y Felinheli could speak Welsh. 73.4 per cent could speak it in 1991.{{Cite web|date=November 2009|title=Supplementary Planning Guidance: Planning and the Welsh Language|url=https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/en/Council/Documents---Council/Strategies-and-policies/Environment-and-planning/Planning-policy/Unitary-Development-Plan/SPG-Planning-and-the-Welsh-Language.pdf|website=Gwynedd Council}} In 1981, 80.6 per cent of the population could speak Welsh; 3.1 per cent of the population were monoglot Welsh-speakers.{{Cite web |title=1981 census - small area statistics - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/sas81 |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}

According to the 2011 Census, 6% of Y Felinheli's population spoke a language other than English or Welsh as their main language. The most common was Arabic, with 2.92% speaking it as their main language.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/interactive/2013/jan/30/languages-mapped-england-wales-census|title=Languages mapped: what do people speak where you live?|last=Rogers|first=Simon|date=2013-01-30|website=the Guardian|access-date=2017-10-27}}

According to the 2011 Census, 59.7% of the population noted that they had Welsh-only national identity, with 35.6 per cent noting that they had no Welsh national identity at all.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/en/Council/Documents---Council/Key-statistics-and-data/Area-Profiles---Gwynedd-and-comparable-areas/Arfon/Ward-Profile-Y-Felinheli.pdf|title=Ward Profile - Y Felinheli|website=Gwynedd Council|access-date=29 July 2018}} According to the 2022 Census, 63.8 per cent of the population noted that they had Welsh-only national identity.

The 2021 Census noted that 93.9 per cent of the population were born in the United Kingdom.

The 2011 Census noted that 91.1 per cent of the population were born in the United Kingdom. 66.1% of the population were born in Wales and 23.8% in England. 5.7% of the population were born outside the European Union.{{Cite web|date=2011|title=Country of birth (Census)|url=http://www.infobasecymru.net/IAS/themes/people,communitiesandequalities/people/welshlanguage/demographiccontext/tabular?viewId=1003&geoId=78&subsetId=|website=InfoBase Cymru}}

In 2021, 96.5 per cent of the population identified their ethnic group within the high-level "White" category.

The religion question was voluntary in the 2021 Census. Of those in Y Felinheli who answered the question, 49.4 per cent described themselves as having no religion, with 49.2 per cent describing themselves as Christian. Buddhist was the second most common religion.

In 2021, 40.1 per cent of residents aged 16 or over were married or in a registered civil partnership. 41.2 percent noted that they had never married or registered in a civil partnership. 9.7 per cent were divorced or had their civil partnership dissolved.{{Cite web |title=Legal partnership status - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS002/editions/2021/versions/3 |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}

• Siân Gwenllian (born 1956) a Welsh Plaid Cymru politician
• Wil Jones (1960–2020) a Welsh portrait artist, guitarist, and teacher.
• Lisa Gwilym (born 1975) a Welsh broadcaster, lives in the village.

The A487 road by-pass, completed in 1994, has removed much traffic congestion from the main street. The nearest railway station as the crow flies is across the Menai Strait at Llanfairpwll ({{convert|2|mi|km}}). The next nearest (not involving travelling by boat) is at Bangor ({{convert|4|mi|km}}).{{Cite web|url=https://www.distantias.com/towns-cities-radius-calculator.php|title=Find towns & cities within a mile or kilometer radius of your city? Calculate fuel costs and download csv files for personal or business use logistics, sales, research, moving home and more|website=www.distantias.com}}

Historically, the passenger railway station Port Dinorwic was open between 1852 and 1960. There was also a narrow gauge railway running from the town to Dinorwic Quarry on the Dinorwic Railway (later Padarn Railway) to carry slate.

A Welsh-language playgroup Cylch Meithrin Y Felinheli currently serves the community with the support of Mudiad Meithrin.{{Cite web |title=Y FELINHELI |url=https://meithrin.cymru/cylchs/y-felinheli/ |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=Meithrin |language=en-US}}

Ysgol Gynradd Y Felinheli provides Welsh-medium primary education to the village and the surrounding area. As of 2024, there were 171 pupils enrolled at the school.{{Cite web |title=Ysgol y Felinheli |url=https://mylocalschool.gov.wales/School/6612127?lang=en |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=mylocalschool.gov.wales}}

In terms of secondary education, the village is in the catchment area of three secondary schools, namely Ysgol Tryfan, Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen and Ysgol Friars.

Y Felinheli forms part of the Bethel a'r Felinheli ward and is currently represented in Cyngor Gwynedd by Plaid Cymru councillors Sasha Ellen Fraser Williams and Iwan Huws.{{Cite web |title=Election results for Bethel a'r Felinheli, 5 May 2022 |url=https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=202&RPID=1020849537 |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru}} The village also has a Community Council, currently chaired by Eifion Wyn Williams.{{Cite web |title=Local Representatives {{!}} Y Felinheli Community Council |url=https://www.felinheli.org/community-council-details.html |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=www.felinheli.org}}

The village is currently represented in the Senedd by Arfon constituency member Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru).

It is also represented by four North Wales regional members, namely Carolyn Thomas (Labour), Llyr Huws Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru), Sam Rowlands and Mark Isherwood (Welsh Conservatives).

The village is currently represented in the House of Commons by Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency member Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru).

The first National Cerdd Dant Festival was held in Y Felinheli in 1947.{{Cite web|title=Cymdeithas Cerdd Dant Cymru - Gŵyl Cerdd Dant|url=https://cerdd-dant.org/eng-ail-hanner-20.html|website=cerdd-dant.org|access-date=2020-05-03}}

The local carnival committee organises the annual Gŵyl Y Felinheli.{{citation|url=http://www.gwylfelin.org|title=Gŵyl y Felinheli}}

The local football team, CPD Y Felinheli, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017.{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/happy-40th-birthday-cpd-y-13450530|title=Happy 40th birthday to CPD Y Felinheli|last=Jones|first=Dave|date=2017-08-08|work=northwales|access-date=2017-10-02}}{{citation|title=Y Felinheli Club Information|url=http://www.faw.org.uk/ClubInfo.ink?TeamId=709|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114010631/http://faw.org.uk/ClubInfo.ink?TeamId=709|url-status=usurped|archive-date=14 November 2011}} For the 2021–22 season, the team was selected by the FAW to be part of the newly-created Ardal Leagues North West.{{Cite web|title=Division North West Table|url=http://www.welshallianceleague.co.uk/match-info/tables%7D%7D|access-date=May 29, 2021|website=www.welshallianceleague.co.uk}}

A private members' sailing club, Clwb Hwylio Y Felinheli, has been based in the village, on the banks of the Menai Strait, since 1947. As of 2015, it had 136 youth members who have been trained at the club.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/gwynedd-sailors-challenge-bid-create-10507765|title=Gwynedd sailors challenge bid to create Menai Strait shellfish fishery|last=Butler|first=Ben|date=2015-11-26|work=northwales|access-date=2018-07-11}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{citation |last=Jones |first=Reg Chambers |title=Felinheli A Personal History of the Port of Dinorwic |publisher=Bridge Books |year=1992 |isbn= 1-872424-26-0}}

{{Commons category|Y Felinheli}}

• [http://www.felinheli.org Community Council]
• [https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=3490155 geograph photos of Y Felinheli and surrounding area]
• [https://snowdoniatourism.co.uk/y-felinheli/ Y Felinheli/Port Dinorwic Guide]

{{Gwynedd}}

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Category:Ports and harbours of Wales

Category:Communities in Gwynedd

Category:Gwynedd electoral wards

Category:Villages in Gwynedd