Anglesey (British History)

[TelMiles]

Anglesey means "island of the English". Simply, what's it doing where it is?
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[Ishmael]

[TelMiles]

It's an island off the northwest coast of Wales.
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[Mick Harper]

I'm interestingly shocked by Ishmael's ignorance. To us (British) the idea that one wouldn't know where Anglesesy is comes as more than a surprise. Perhaps, Ishmael, it's equivalent to us not knowing where Nova Scotia is (or even Newfoundland!). But more than that Anglesey plays a large part in Druid history (to which Ishmael has contributed more than somewhat.) It reminds us that each of our brains is a unique repository of data, and that has always to be taken into account.

PS THOBR in an early form was written on Anglesey.

[TelMiles]

Was just reading that Anglesey is called Anglesey after Edwin of Northumbria invaded northern Wales.

Problem with that being two-fold in my opinion.

1. He didn't stay very long.
2. Would the Welsh name something after their enemies?

Were Saxon mercenaries stationed there? or some other explanation. Just always thought Anglesey was weird.
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[Mick Harper]

The Welsh call it Ynys Mon though it would be interesting to find out how long ago that was. (There's a chance it's a modern coinage.)

[TelMiles]

Just had a quick look on Wikipedia...and it had this to say:

"The 'English' name is in fact derived from the Old Norse, meaning 'Ongull's Island'. The alternative "isle (ey) of the Angles" is discredited."

So, let me get this straight, a place called Anglesey has nothing to do with the Angles? yea right, me thinks an agenda has come into play.

It also says the Romans knew the island as Mona.
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[TelMiles]

Looks like you were right Mick, among my reading I found that Ynis Mons is indeed a modern rendering.
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[Hatty]

Tel wrote: a place called Anglesey has nothing to do with the Angles?

You also pointed out, Tel, that East Anglia doesn't appear to have been populated by Angles either.

me thinks an agenda has come into play.
Like a deliberate Anglicisation, in this instance downplaying the mystique of a place intrinsically associated with the last stronghold of the Druids?

It also says the Romans knew the island as Mona.

In Welsh there are three words all meaning 'Anglesey': M�n, Sir F�n, Ynys M�n (ynys is 'island'). (Mona purportedly derives from muadh, Gaelic for 'noble'.)

[TelMiles]

[Hatty]

[Mick Harper]

If Mona was known to the Romans then Ynys Mon can't be a modern formulation.

[TelMiles]

Yea, it can Mick, cos I neglected to mention that in medieval times it was known to the Welsh by other names, such as Ynys Dywll (dark isle) and Ynys y Cedairn (isle of brave folk) Ynys Mons seems to have been adopted late in the day.

Also, I was looking up Ongull and it said it could mean corner or angle, or straight or it could be a personal name.

I still think the simplest answer is that Angles were settled on the island at some point. Maybe the Romans used them to finish off the Druids.
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Against all Gods.

[TelMiles]

[Hatty]

Right, Tel, East Anglia was indeed named after the Angles but who was there before the Angles arrived? The Iceni tribe? The Iceni revolt against the Romans took place, it appears, at the same time as the Romans were staging the final assault against the Druids in Anglesey, maybe a coincidence but could be a co-ordinated attempt to deplete Roman resources from east and west simultaneously.