NODWEDDION HANESYDDOL

Cefndir

Ymhell cyn i Bont Menai gael ei hadeiladu gan y peiriannydd Thomas Telford a'i hagor yn 1826, 'roedd cymuned wedi bod ym Mhorthaethwy ers Oes y tywysogion. Gwelwyd ffermydd bychain wedi eu gwasgaru ar hyd y tirlun ag Eglwys Sant Tysilio ar Ynys Tysilio yn ganolbwynt. Yn ol traddodiad, symudodd Tysilio yma yn y chweched ganrif, a bod eglwys wedi ei gysegru iddo ar yr ynys yn y bymthegfed ganrif. Defnyddiwyd hen lwybrau y tir comin y pentref i gyrraedd y sarn sy'n arwain at Eglwys Sant Tysilio.

Yn 1814 cafodd Iarll Uxbridge (Marcwis Mon yn ddiweddarach) 41 erw o dir a dechreuodd adeiladu coed arno. Erbyn heddiw yr enw ar y goedlan hon yw Coed Cyrnol ar ol gwr o'r enw Cyrnol Sanders oedd yn byw yn ymyl ar droad y ganrif.

Roedd Fferi Porthaethwy ac eraill, wedi bod yn cludo pobl drosodd i Fon ers canrifoedd, ond yn ystod y ddeunawfed ganrif dechreuodd trafnidiaeth gynyddu'n sylweddol. Fe wellwyd ffordd yr arfordir ger Penmaenmawr yn y 1720au a gwnaed y ffordd o Gaergybi i Borthaethwy yn un dyrpeg.

Fodd bynnag, yn 1782 mynegwyd llawer o gwynion gan wyr bonheddig Mon yn erbyn cost a diogelwch y fferiau ac yn dilyn Deddf Uno 1801 gwelwyd bod rhaid cael llwybr dibynadwy ar gyfer y ddwy goets bost a deithiai'n ddyddiol. Comisiynodd y Senedd, Thomas Telford i ddylunio'r bont a gosodwyd y garreg gyntaf ar Awst 10fed 1819.

HISTORICAL FEATURES

Background

Well before Menai Bridge was erected by the engineer Thomas Telford and opened in 1826, there had been a community here in Porthaethwy since the Age of the Princes. Isolated farms were dotted along the landscape with St. Tyslio’s Church on Church Island being the focal point. According to tradition, Tysilio moved here during the sixth century, and a church consecrated to him on the island during the fifteenth century. The old paths along the town's common ground were used to reach the causeway leading up to the church.

During 1814 Earl Uxbridge, (later the Marquis of Anglesey), acquired 41 acres of land on which he commenced building a woodland. By today this woodland is called Coed Cyrnol after a gentleman called Colonel Sanders who lived nearby at the turn of the century.

The Porthaethwy Ferry amongst others had been transporting people over to Anglesey for centuries, but during the eighteenth century transport increased substantially. The coastal road by Penmaenmawr was improved in the 1720's and the road from Holyhead to Porthaethwy became a turnpike road.

However during 1782, great misgivings were expressed by Anglesey's gentry regarding the cost and safety of the ferries and following the Unification Act of 1801 it became apparent that a dependable route was vital for the two mail coaches which travelled daily. Parliament commissioned Thomas Telford to design a new bridge and the first stone was installed on August 10th 1819.