Entrance gate piers to the Britannia Park

Cadw's description

Location

The entrance to Britannia Park is sited approximately 70m W of the Gwynedd end of the Menai Suspension Bridge.

History

Britannia Park was designed as a setting for the planned magnificent Britannia Hotel, aimed primarily to serve railway travellers on the Holyhead route to and from Ireland. The hotel never reached more than foundation level, but the park was laid out to the design of Joseph Paxton shortly after the completion of the Britannia Bridge in c1850-60. It now serves the University of Wales as Botanic Gardens.

Exterior

Piers of limestone freestone, and gates of iron. One pier each side of the driveway, a pedestrian gate on the S, and low ashlar coped walls curve forward each side to similar terminal piers, creating a semicircular approach. The piers are broached and chamfered on four sides, the chamfers increasing at each stage until the piers are octagonal at the top, and terminated with a weathered cap. A sunk quatrefoil cross is carved on the main faces.

Only the pedestrian gate survives in-situ. This is of square bar iron, with bands of quatrefoils at the top, middle and bottom, and fleur-de-lys terminals.

Reason for designation

Included as an example of handsome park gates, of group value with the lodge (q.v.) and as an important element of special interest in Britannia Park.