History in Structure

Boundary Wall to Vaynol Park, including railings along the Menai Strait shore.

A Grade II Listed Building in Pentir, Gwynedd

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Coordinates

Latitude: 53.1958 / 53°11'44"N

Longitude: -4.1852 / 4°11'6"W

OS Eastings: 254119

OS Northings: 368751

OS Grid: SH541687

Mapcode National: GBR 5M.2PTR

Mapcode Global: WH546.PX8X

Plus Code: 9C5Q5RW7+8W

Entry Name: Boundary Wall to Vaynol Park, including railings along the Menai Strait shore.

Listing Date: 26 August 1992

Last Amended: 22 September 1997

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 18910

Building Class: Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces

ID on this website: 300018910

Location: Approximately 2.5km of stone boundary wall enclosing the landward side of Vaynol Park and bordering the A487.

County: Gwynedd

Town: Bangor

Community: Pentir

Community: Pentir

Locality: Vaynol Park

Traditional County: Caernarfonshire

Tagged with: Wall

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Port Dinorwic

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.

Reasons for Listing

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.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Main Entrance to Vaynol Park, including flanking approach walls
    The grand gated entrance to the main drive is flanked by similarly designed stretches of broadly curved boundary walls, contiguous with the boundary walls to the Park. The Grand Lodge lies directly be
  • II Grand Lodge at Main Entrance to Vaynol Park
    Set well back from the main Caernarfon to Bangor road, behind the boundary wall that curves inwards towards the Main Entrance to the drive.
  • II Wern Gogas
    Located remotely in the S corner of Vaynol Park, and reached by a track running parallel and within the estate boundary wall SW from outside the Main Entrance Gates by the Grand Lodge to Vaynol Park.
  • II Singrig
    Situated at the NE end of Y Felinheli in the Aber Pwll area. On the SE side of the former A487, some 250m SW of its junction with the B4547 to Pentir. Set below road across stream with half-round he
  • II Singrig
    Situated at the NE end of Y Felinheli in the Aber Pwll area. On the SE side of the former A487, some 250m SW of its junction with the B4547 to Pentir. Set below road across stream with half-round he
  • II Singrig
    Situated at the NE end of Y Felinheli in the Aber Pwll area. On the SE side of the former A487, some 250m SW of its junction with the B4547 to Pentir. Set below road across stream with half-round he
  • II Stables and Brood Mare's Yard
    Set in the heart of Vaynol Park, E of the Old Hall, and in a secluded setting amongst trees at a lower level than the drive running S from Vaynol Farm.
  • II Classical statue to SW of Vaynol Hall
    The statue stands on the axis of the SW garden of Vaynol Hall, in a clearing on the edge of woodland beyond the garden balustrade.

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