Llys Rhosyr

Near Newborough on Anglesey, there is an archaeological site called Llys Rhosyr, also called "Cae Llys," which contains the remains of a pre-Edwardian communal court. The Welsh word Llys originally meant a closed-off outdoor area, but it later came to imply a location where judicial procedures took place and eventually came to refer to royal "courts".

Before Wales was conquered by Edward I of England, Llys Rhosyr was a major community, and its previous uses are currently the subject of contention. The Pritchard-Jones Institute in the hamlet has hosted an exhibition about the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust's research that supports the theory that it was formerly a royal residence. The enclosure contained a hall, lodging, and storage barns that were originally made of stone and wood, according to excavations. The structures might have covered a space measuring 450 by 300 feet.

The Gwynedd Archaeological Trust began excavating there in 1992, and the site was first made accessible to the public in 1995. Only the outlines of the walls, including the main enclosing wall and the foundations and lower walls of three substantial buildings—possibly the hall, a chamber, and storage barns—remain. Only about a fourth of these walls are visible. Numerous artifacts were found at the site, including lead fishing weights and pottery and cutlery that would have been used by persons of high social position. It is the only royal court in Gwynedd whose location has been dug up thus far.

Location: Church St, Niwbwrch, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll LL61 6SG, United Kingdom