The medieval borough of Beaumaris was laid out alongside the great castle and received its first charter in 1296. Beaumaris replaced an earlier town situated nearby at Llanfaes whose population was removed to a new town at Newborough (NPRN 32992). At this time the town is thought to have been laid out around two main streets, Castle Street and Church Street in a plan similar to that adopted for Newborough.

The church was built in about 1330. The stresses of the opening years of the thirteenth century caused the town to be walled between 1407-14 (NPRN 302768) and this involved the destruction of several burgages. More destruction was caused by coastal erosion which has removed the south-eastern part of the original town.

Beaumaris was a thriving port and during the late 18th century, was the leading Welsh port. It was also the administrative centre of Anglesey. It had its own law court and prison. The town began to lose its influence when the Menai Suspension Bridge opened and it lost the through traffic to Ireland. The administrative centre later moved to Llangefni.

From the middle of the 19th century Beaumaris was a popular tourist resort.

Notable historic buildings in Beaumaris include the Castle (NPRN 95769), Courthouse (NPRN 23134), the Victorian Gaol (NPRN 23132), a 14th century house 'Tudor Rose' (NPRN 15919) and the Church of St Mary and St Nicholas (NPRN 43619).

Source: Carr 'Medieval Anglesey' (1982), 237-58
RCAHMW, 2009.