Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
South portal of former railway tunnel beneath Castle Square
Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Transport
- Date of designation
- 3 May 2002
- Locality
- Caernarfon
- Town
- Caernarfon
- Community
- Caernarfon
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.13871, -4.27399
- Cadw reference
- 26618
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1883 "Watershed map England, Wales 3." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Opposite Slate Quay to the SE of Castle Square and below Segontium Terrace.
History
Part of the 'Carnarvon Town Line' built 1865-70 to link the Carnarvon & Llanberis Railway with the Bangor & Caernarvon Railway. The tunnel portal was built in 1869, the date on an iron girder cast at the Union Ironworks on nearby Slate Quay. The London & North Western Railway was a principal investor in the line and managed the project. It took over the line in the 1870s. Following closure of the railway the tunnel has been re-used as a road tunnel.
Exterior
Portal of former double-tracked railway of snecked rock-faced stone. The entrance has a cast iron girder supporting jack arches in the tunnel, inscribed 'de Winton & Co 1869'. Above is a thick roll-moulded band, and modern railings above coping stones, while the opening is flanked by shallow buttresses, of which the L-hand is set back from the end while the R-hand is built into the revetment wall below Segontium Terrace. The L side wall has 4 recesses with brick arches below a roll-moulded band continuous with the entrance elevation, and has coping stone with railings.
Reason for designation
Listed for group value with other items contributing to the industrial and mercantile character of Slate Quay.
Nearby in the register
- 8 Segontium Terrace, including forecourt railingsDomesticunder 1 mi
- Courtenay's BistroDomesticunder 1 mi
- 7 Segontium TerraceDomesticunder 1 mi
- 6 Segontium TerraceDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.