Salt Island

Salt Island lies off Holyhead on Anglesey’s north-west coast, linked to the mainland by the port’s breakwaters. It shelters the Old Harbour from the Irish Sea and forms part of the busy Port of Holyhead. The island’s name comes from a former sea-salt factory that once stood here. The island’s history includes the Stanley Sailors’ Hospital, opened in 1871 by public subscription to treat seafarers before becoming a general hospital. After the National Health Service took it over in 1948, the hospital closed in 1987 and was later demolished. Three lighthouses have stood on the island, the last being the Holyhead Mail Pier Light, designed by John Rennie the Elder in 1821. Today the island is dominated by ferry terminals used by Irish Ferries and Stena Line for routes to Dublin. The Admiralty Pier, opened in 1821 and nearly 300 metres long, once welcomed King George IV and Queen Victoria. Land reclamation in the early 2000s added 4.5 hectares to the island, expanding its port facilities. The Holyhead lifeboat station remains active here, while the nearby Admiralty Arch marks the end of the A5 from London. Access is tightly controlled and largely restricted to port operations.