Gwynedd Archaeological
Trust Regional Historic Environment Record
Monastery, Remains of, Puffin Island
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 5017 Trust : Gwynedd Community : Llangoed Unitary authority : Ynys Mon NGR : SH6517382160 Site Type (preferred type first) : EARLY MEDIEVAL MONASTERY / MEDIEVAL CHURCH Status : Site of Special Scientific Interest
Description : GAT confirmed in general the RCAHM plan (Anglesey p.141-4), but found that the tower had deteriorated since the 1930s. The E inner enclosure wall was substantial in build, but little remains of the outer enclosure wall.
Four major phases of construction can be identified, the tower was built against on existing 'cella memoriae' and contained an arch in its E and W sides at ground level and a single window higher up in the S side.
After the removal of the 'cella memoriae', a large chancel was built against the E side of the tower and a nave against the W, the walls of both these were bonded to the tower in a way suggesting that no provision had been made for them originally.
The bottom of the S wall, with window still exists and has been incorporated into a later building. About this stage, a round headed arch was inserted into the S side of the tower for access to a S transept. In more recent centuries, a cottage and yard have been appended to the S side of the tower, using the same bonding technique.
Details of the phasing of the inner and outer enclosures could not be confirmed, however the massive nature of the W entrance suggests that it might be connected with a phase of occupation earlier than the one represented by the enclosure wall (Thompson, 1986).
The monastic site on Puffin Island was first mentioned by Giraldus Cambrensis in 1188. The church tower, the principal remaining structure, is probably of mid 12th century date. (Edwards 1984)
