Cliff terrace to the Atlantic Hotel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on the cliff opposite the Atlantic Hotel, running from The Esplanade to sea level.

History

Terraced walks and belvedere laid out 1913 for Warrren de la Rue, owner of Trayles, Nos 5-6 The Esplanade, now part of the Atlantic Hotel. De la Rue was a wealthy heir of the printing family, racehorse owner and retired to Tenby where the four-storey terraced houses were rebuilt as a two-storey house to designs by D W Pollock of London. A report in January 1914 mentions Italian gardens with sun terrace. De la Rue died in 1921. While at Tenby he contributed lengthy articles on tides and on the visible horizon to the local paper, based on observations taken from these terraces.

Exterior

Cliffside terraced walk with balustrades in rock-faced grey limestone. Openwork balustrade of 5 linked circles with rock-faced stone coping, between two piers with similar caps. Flanking balustrades are set lower and pierced by narrow arch-headed openings. To the left, 4-arch section and to right 6-arch section, with end piers. The left side then steps down with 6-arch balustrade and steps continue down the cliff with plain stone balustrades. To right, the terrace wall continues around the cliff, one 3-arch section at right angles, then plain rubble-stone walling with similar coping around to a belvedere terrace with smaller terrace on brackets below. In the wall coping is marble plaque reading 'Tenby sundial time reduced to Greenwich Mean Time, Jan 1 add 23 mins, Jan 15 add 29 mins....Equation of Time + 18.8 m from Longitude- Greenwich Mean Time'.

Reason for designation

Included as a well-built cliffside terraced walk, of group value with The Esplanade