Heritage

Historically a seaside town, Rhyl has always been a popular destination for tourists thanks to its miles of sandy beaches. But there’s more to our heritage than the sea.

The origins of the town’s name are not known however it appears in old documents as Hulle Ryhull (1301), Hyll, Hull, Rhill and Rhûl Rhul with Rhyll becoming Rhyl in 1840.

It is thought the meaning of the word Rhyl is hill or hillock, which is reflected in the town council’s crest.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Rhyl boasted a thriving brickmaking industry with four clay pits on the edge of town, including the Cefndy Brickworks. Most of the red brick buildings in Rhyl dating between 1860 and 1940 were built from locally-made bricks.

Rhyl is also home to a number of Grade II listed buildings including Parish Church of St Thomas in Bath Street, the railway station, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Sussex Street Baptist Church and Rhyl Town Hall.

The town has seen many changes over the years with more on the way.

Key dates

1848
Rhyl railway station opened

1867
North Wales gets its first pier, built in Rhyl at a cost of £15,000

1901
Rhyl’s population stood at 8,473 - up from 5,000 in 1867

1904
Rhyl hosted the National Eisteddfod

1911
Rhyl Miniature Railway opened

1921
Rhyl United became founder members of the Welsh National League

1948
The Garden of Remembrance opens

1953
Rhyl Football Club won the Welsh Cup for the second time

1962
The Rhyl to Wallasey hovercraft service opened – a world first

1971
The population of Rhyl was just over 21,000

1985
The National Eisteddfod makes a welcome return. It was last here in 1953

1991
The Pavilion Theatre was unveiled

1993
The Sky Tower – all 80 metres of it - opened

2004
Rhyl Football Club become League of Wales Premiership Champions

2016
Development work starts along Rhyl’s front with retail and entertainment plans in the pipeline.

Discover more of our history:
Rhyl Museum
Church Street
Rhyl
LL18 3AA
Email: heritage@denbighshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01745 353 814