Holyhead Church by Lewis Morris 1740
Lewis Morris 1700/1-65 was one of Anglesey's greatest scholars of the C18th. This drawing is from MS Bodleian Willis 41, 355 circa 1740. He identifies himself at bottom left as "Lewis Morris Monensis delineavit" (tr. LM of Anglesey drew this). The various annotations read as follows.
a) At left: "Part of this steeple was rebuilt in ye last century having in one night split from top almost to bottom one half falling down; pieces of ye spire (which was then of wood) were found next day about 200 yards off. The cause was attributed to one that had laid violent hands upon himself and whose body was lodged in the church that very night in order to be interred next day"
b) At bottom: "A fortification enveloping the church and churchyard built about the year 450 by Caswallon Lawhir and Meliyron ap Meirchion after they had defeated the Irish. Most of this south wall is now hid by houses that are built to it facing the street."
c) The rectangular enclosure abutting the castellated wall is annotated "The ruins of Cappel Gwyddyl" . The two annotations below the castellation at bottom right are "houses" and "a house".
d) the area to the right of the east end of the church above the tower is labelled "gardens"
e) The sea area is marked at upper right "sand at low water". The sea cliffs at right are marked "24 feet high"