Mostyn is a village in the county of Flintshire, North Wales, lying on the Dee estuary between Prestatyn to the North West and Holywell to the South East. The village straddles the A548, the Old Coast Road, with the River Dee to the northeast and the Welsh hills to the southwest.
The Port of Mostyn once served as a port from which ferries sailed to Dublin on the Liverpool-Dublin route. However this ended in 2004 and the Port has developed other businesses including the construction of, and support services for, the off shore wind farms in the Irish Sea.
Mostyn History & Attractions
The historic Mostyn Hall and Gardens are located to the north west of the village. The Hall is a Grade I listed building and the estate has been in the hands of the Mostyn family for several centuries, being the seat of the baronets and barons of Mostyn.
Just down the A548 road from Mostyn at Llanerch-y-Mor is the rusting hulk of the 'Mostyn Fun Ship'. The ship started life as the Duke of Lancaster, a car ferry and cruise ship, until it was permanently dry-docked in Mostyn.
History
An interesting footnote to history concerns the Mostyn family, of Mostyn Hall, and King Henry Tudor's capture of the throne of England.
The Mostyn family descended from the marriage of Ieuan Fychan (d. 1457 ), of Pengwern , Llangollen, with Angharad, daughter and heiress of Hywel (or Howel), son of Tudor ap Ithel Fychan. Their descendent Richard ap Hywel (Howel) supported the house of Lancaster in its fight for the throne of England.
On one occasion Henry Tudor was known to be visiting Richard ap Howel at Mostyn and Richard III's men came to look for him. As they forced their way in through the front he went out through the back. The future King was believed to have sailed from Mostyn Dock to Brittany among a load of straw.
Richard ap Howel, or Richard Mostyn, was to meet up with Henry Tudor again later – at Bosworth Battlefield. The Mostyn levy of 1,600 Flintshire men was no small contribution to the victory and the King gave Richard the sword and belt he had worn that day.