Sleepy UK village with 'quiet beauty', astounding beach and royal history

Many centuries ago, a Royal house known as the House of Aberffraw stood near the south-west coast of Anglesey. This house, named after the village it was located in, was within the boundaries of the ancient Kingdom of Gwynedd.

The dynasty was founded in the 9th century by the reigning King of Wales, whose descendants went on to establish the Welsh Royal houses. Near the mouth of the River Ffraw, from which the village takes its name, the early kings of Gwynedd established their main family seat at the Royal court.

Aberffraw was once a prehistoric settlement, later occupied during the Roman period between c. 0-400 AD. The town served as a Welsh princely court and played a crucial role in the Gwynedd dynasty.

It flourished for centuries until the 13th century when the Kingdom of Gwynedd, along with the Royal house, ended with Edward I's conquest of Wales and the death of the last prince, Dafydd III, in 1283.

Today, Aberffraw is a far cry from its past as the primary residence of the princes of Gwynedd during the Middle Ages. As per the 2021 Census, it is home to approximately 597 residents.

Despite being a tranquil and sleepy village, there is an air of serene beauty here, surrounded by stunning landscapes. Unsurprisingly, Aberffraw has been crowned the finest spot to reside on Ynys Mon in 2023, following a poll by North Wales Live.

The Telegraph was also captivated by this modest village, noting: "Nowadays, the village is a huddle of pretty stone and pastel-painted cottages peeking above the tidal waters of the River Ffraw. With the first glimmer of sun, you'll race with childlike joy over wind-whipped dunes to its gorgeous sweep of powdery sand, Traeth Mawr."

Despite its diminutive size, Aberffraw is bursting with