The Porthaethwy Ferry is first referred to in 1193, in a poem by Prydydd y Moch in praise of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. The context is the crossing of an armed force (swimming its horses) at `Porth Aethwy?. In 1294, a Crown survey valued the revenue of the Porthaethwy Ferry at £2 13s 4d. The next survey in 1352, showed a increase in the assessment to 90s - 45s to the King and the remaining 45s to the free tenants. Through the auspices of the Sherrif, the Crown paid half of the cost of running the ferryboats. Fourteenth century accounts include entries for; `half a boat? bought: 6s. Out of 12s; total for pitch and tallow, 1s.4d; four days carpenter's work and other costs for ropes, oars, hurdles under the feet of animals, to protect the boats, and quantities of iron nails. As part of the rent for their burgage plots, it is likely that the tenants near the ferry landings also worked the ferry. At the time of the Llantysilio parish Enclosure Award in 1827, land reserved for the Crown with regard to the ferry included the straits off Porthaethwy, from Carreg yr Halen to Porth Daniel. Llanding places were also claimed - at Porthaethwy below the Cambria Hotel on the Anglesey side, and at Treborth and Borth (below Bodlondeb) on the mainland. The main Porthaethwy ferry crossing was worked from a pier 175m northeast of Ynys y Moch (the island which us used for main pier of the suspension bridge) to a rocky shelf below the 19th century house called Bodlondeb on the mainland (a distance of 300m). Two other routes were worked - from Careg yr Halen to Treborth Mill (see NPRN 240475) and from the landing stage at Porth y Wrach on Anglesey to the George Hotel on the mainland (see NPRN 240477)

Sources include:
Davies, H R, 1942, A review of the records of the Conway and Menai Ferries, pg41
Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, 2006, Crossing the Straits, pg14