Quay walls at Slate Quay

Cadw's description

Location

To the SE of the castle on the Afon Seiont.

History

Slate Quay was developed in the early C19 when Caernarfon was growing in importance as a port. It was served directly by the 9-mile Nantlle Railway which opened in 1828 and brought copper and slate into Caernarfon. The present quay walls are shown on the 1834 and 1852 maps. Originally the quay extended from the S side of the Castle to the land on which the Union Ironworks was built in the second half of the C19, which is shown on the 1834 and 1852 town plans as Lord Newborough's private quay. The W end of the present structure was built in the third quarter of the C19 and is first shown on the 1890 Ordnance Survey. It is distinguishable from the remainder of the quay wall by its more pronounced batter.

Exterior

Dock walls of mainly rubble stone. At the NW end is a N-S section approximately 40m long from the abutment of Aber Bridge, has stone steps at either end, while the wall has a pronounced batter. The E-W return has a similar batter for a length of approximately 40m, from where it is stepped out. The remainder of the wall constitutes the original structure and has only a slight batter. It continues for approximately 100m where it curves around toward the SE where it continues for approximately 250m to the former Union Ironworks where buildings are built on the waterfront. On the quay are cylindrical stone and some cast iron mooring posts.

Reason for designation

Listed as a substantial component of an important C19 industrial and mercantile site and for its contribution to the setting of Caernarfon Castle.