Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
18910
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
26/08/1992
Date of Amendment
22/09/1997
Name of Property
Boundary Wall to Vaynol Park, including railings along the Menai Strait shore.
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Gwynedd
Community
Pentir
Town
Bangor
Locality
Vaynol Park
Easting
254119
Northing
368751
Street Side
NW
Location
Approximately 2.5km of stone boundary wall enclosing the landward side of Vaynol Park and bordering the A487.
Description
Broad Class
Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces
Period
History
Wealth created by the Dinorwic Slate Quarries enabled Thomas Assheton-Smith and his descendants to carry out continual improvements to Vaynol Park including the gardens and landscape, and in this case also the estate boundary wall which was begun in 1863, the piers being finally capped in 1870. The total cost is recorded as being £25,098, a remarkable amount. The Agent's Account Books for 1860's and 1870's have numerous references to "expenditure on Vaynol [or Park] wall".
Exterior
The wall is of local snecked and rock-faced stone rubble with fine Dinorwic slate copings closely and jaggedly set to project both sides. It begins at the N end near the road junction of the A487 and A5, SE of the Britannia Bridge, and runs downhill (S) past the entrance to the Vaynol Farm drive and that of Capel-y-Graig Lodge as far as the roundabout junction of the A487 with the A4087. It then turns SW past the fine main drive entrance in front of the Grand Lodge, and continues in a highly distinctive crinkle-crankle fashion as far as the junction with the B4547 where the walls steps back behind Nant Cottage - the story is that the owner refused to sell so that the wall had to divert behind it. Beyond, the wall borders a narrow winding stretch of road as far as the entrance gate piers to the lane to Caerefail (Aberpwll), set at right angles and facing into Felinheli. It then turns inwards, crossing and following the course of the Nant-y-garth, past the tall gate piers at Bryntirion lodge. The wall meets the Menai Strait shore at the harbour at Port Dinorwic. From there a lower boundary wall follows N along the shore line including a stretch near Vaynol Dock and Boathouse, which has iron railings on a stone plinth. At 25253 36838 this wall spans the mouth of a short canal that once served an earlier lime kiln, it passes then under the W drive. A railed clair-vue breaks the wall opposite Bath Cottage.
Interior
Reason for designation
The full extent of this remarkable boundary wall is listed for its shape, construction and coping which make it, with the very similar wall at the Penrhyn Estate, amongst the finest of its kind in Wales. Of group value with the Main Entrance, the Grand Lodge, and other listed items at Vaynol Park.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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