The whole of the magnificent estate of Havod was put up to auction by Mr. Robins, in the spring of 1831, and became the property of the Duke of Newcastle, together with the timber, the splendid collection of books and furniture, and the large cellar of choice wines, for which that nobleman is said to have paid about £62,000. The noble duke expended a very large sum in enlarging and improving, and became a most munificent benefactor to the neighbourhood. In 1843, however, it was again submitted to the hammer of Mr. Robins, but no sale was effected. The estate has since been bought of His Grace by H. Bold Houghton, Esq. The purchase-money is said to have been £150,000.
Beaumaris 16 Holyhead 20 Llanerch-y-medd 6 Menai Bridge 18
This is a market town on the coast, chiefly supported by the copper mines, with which the surrounding district abounds. About the year 1766, Amlwch had not more than half-a-dozen houses in the whole parish, but now it contains a population exceeding 6000. It has a capacious harbour, cut out of the solid rock or slate, executed at the expense of the mining companies, capable of admitting thirty vessels of 200 tons burthen, where originally there was only a cleft or opening, too small to receive a single vessel. There are large smelting works for copper erected near the harbour, the property of the mining companies.
In conjunction with Beaumaris, Holyhead, and Llangefni, this town returns one member to parliament. The church, consecrated in 1801, is an elegant building, erected by the Parys mine company, at an expense of £4000. The situation of Amlwch is most salubrious.
The immense treasures contained in the Parys mountain, which is in the immediate vicinity of Amlwch, and to which the town owes its prosperity, were unknown and lay neglected until about the year 1765, when one Frazer, a Scotch miner, came in search of ores, and gave encouragement to other adventurers. Though he discovered copper ore by sinking shafts in the mountain, he was discouraged from proceeding by the influx of water. Sir N. Bailey, grandfather of the Marquis of Anglesea, who had leased the lead mines at Penrhyn-dû, in Caernarvonshire, to the Macclesfield company, bound them to make a spirited effort to work the Parys mine. This they did, but with so little success, that after some time they sent positive orders to the agent to discontinue his operations, and discharge the miners. The agent, however, fortunately disobeyed the injunction; and as a last attempt, collected all his mining force to one spot, where he sunk a shaft, and within seven feet of the surface discovered a body of ore which was worked with great success for many years. This happened on the 2d of March, 1768, whence St. Chad has ever since been a venerated patron of the Anglesea miners.