LLANGRYSTYOLYS (LLAN-GRISTIOLUS), a parish, in the hundred of MALLTRAETH, union of ANGLESEY and county of ANGLESEY, NORTH
WALES, 3 miles (S. S. W.) from Llangevni; containing 938 inhabitants. This parish, which takes its name from the
dedication of its church to St. Christiolus, who flourished about the middle of the seventh century, is situated on the
great road from London to Holyhead, and is bounded on the north-east by the parish of Lhuigevni, on the south-east by
those of Llanvi- hangel-Ysceiviog and Llanidan, on the south-west by that of Trevdraeth, and on the north-west'by that of
Cerregceinwen, and reaches in its southern portion nearly to the upper part of the Malltraeth marsh, over which the road
is continued by a noble embankment, extending about a mile in length. In 1788 and 1790, acts of parliament were passed for
constructing an embankment to secure this low tract from the encroachment of the sea, and for inclosing it, as it formed
an extent of about three thousand acres, of which about 800 are comprised within the limits of this parish. Under the
provisions of these acts considerable progress had been made in the execution of the work, and many thousand pounds
expended on it, when, in 1796, a violent irruption of the sea destroyed the greater part of the embankment, and the
enterprise was for some time abandoned. This desirable work was, however, resumed under the sanction of an act of
parliament obtained in 1815, and the undertaking was successfully completed in 1819. Theparish comprises by admeasurement
3683 acres, of which 823 are woodland, marsh, and waste, and the remainder arable, to a great extent inclosed, and well-
cultivated. The surface is varied, gently sloping to the marsh; and the scenery is ornamented with clusters of various
kinds of trees, ash and sycamore being the most prevalent: there are several rivulets, but the Cevni is the most
considerable stream, which, running along the eastern boundary of the parish, separates it from that of
Llanvihang.elYsceiviog. The soil on the more elevated grounds is clayey, and in the other parts it is a fine rich loam,
producing good oats, barley, and potatoes, which, with the cattle reared here, constitute the chief disposable produce:
limestone, grit, and freestone, of excellent quality, are quarried, and beds of coal exist, but they are not at present
worked. The only gentleman's seat is HenblAs, which is an ancient mansion, built in 1625, and beautifully situated on the
brow of the slope commanding an extensive view of the range of the Carnarvonshire mountains: it is occupied by the
proprietor, Charles Henry Evans, Esq., of whose family were Dr. William Lloyd, of St. Asaph, one of the seven bishops
prosecuted by James the Second, and Dr. Henry Rowland, Bishop of Bangor, in 1600. The living is a perpetual curacy,
annexed, with that of Cerregceinwen, to the Archdeaconry of Anglesey, which is held by the Bishop of Bangor; the tithes,
belonging to the bishop, have been commuted for a rent-charge of £331. 12. 4., subject to rates, averaging £11. 8. 8. per
annum: the curate is entitled to receive a bequest of £25 per annum, by the Rev. Dr. Lewis, for preaching a sermon on
every Sunday, by which donor also £50 were left to the poor of the parish. The church is supposed to have been originally
founded about the year 550, but it is uncertain when the present structure was built, which is 79 feet in length and 20f
in breadth, and contains some interesting architectural features, among which are a spacious lancet-shaped arch in the
centre of the church, supported by clustered pillars, and an east window of good design, enriched with elegant tracery.
There are places of worship for Independents and Methodists, the former of whom support a Sunday school for 100 persons;
and a handsome National school-room, for the accommodation of 120 children, together with a residence for the master, has
been recently built. The Rev. Hugh Jones bequeathed £100; John Griffith Lewis, £10; Owen David ab Owen, £10; and various
other benefactors smaller sums of money, amounting in the whole to £140, which sum was placed on mortgage; but having been
recovered from the mortgager by an attorney, he expended £100 of the amount in building six cottages, now occupied by poor
families rent-free, and the residue, £40, was never paid, as he died insolvent shortly after. Two other donations,
amounting to £8, and a rent-charge of 10s., have been lost to the poor; and the only available charity now is £2. 10.,
arising from the Rev. Dr. Lewis's bequest of £50. Dr. Henry Maurice, of Jesus' College, Oxford, and Margaret Professor of
Divinity in that university, was born in this parish, in 1648; he accompanied his patron, Sir Leoline Jenkins, to Cologne,
whither he was sent as ambassador, and greatly distinguished himself as a polemical writer.