Cof Lechi Caernarfon Slate Plaques

slate-plaques

Cof Lechi Caernarfon Slate Plaques

There is much more to Caernarfon’s history than its spectacular castle, and Caernarfon Civic Society has created slate plaques for more than 30 notable buildings and places associated with people who contributed so much to the town’s rich heritage.

HistoryPoints QR codes are provided at almost all of the locations, so that you can discover much more than is written on the plaque – including short biographies, portraits and old pictures. You can even listen to music as you pass the former homes of great musicians.

The project was assisted by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Caernarfon Royal Town Council and Gwynedd Council, with contributions from other supporters.

Click on any location in the list below to read about it. There’s a map with each text for anyone who needs help to find the location.

Web pages associated with slate plaques in Caernarfon:

Architect John Lloyd's former home - he designed many landmark buildings, including his family home
Caernarfon's first bank - bank founded here in 1792, soon taken over by "Twm Chwarae Teg"
Site of Lewis Jones' birthplace - he helped found the Welsh colony in Patagonia, where Trelew is named after him
Site of Wales' first county library - part-funded by a New York steel magnate to take books out to rural areas
Former Y Goluead printworks - several newspapers were printed in this Victorian warehouse
Site of Herald newspaper office - home to several newspapers from 1906 until a disastrous fire in 1984
Former workplace of conjuror Rovi - the Magic Circle named Ifor Parry 'The King of Cards'
Former British School - built in 1856 for educating children from poor families
Former schoolmaster's house - built in 1856 for the British School's headmaster
Former home of Ellis Davies MP - he was also a solicitor and director of London department store Selfridges
Sir Llewelyn Turner memorial - his many achievements included organising a water supply after a cholera outbreak
Former Capel Pendref - town's first purpose-built chapel. The poet Caledfryn was minister 1832-1848
Harbour Trust office - built 1840 for the trust, which still occupies the building
Royal Welsh Yacht Club house - the club has occupied this medieval tower since the 1850s
Former home of Leila Megane - the international opera star lived here with composer husband T Osborne Roberts
Former home of Dilys W Williams - first female conductor of the National Eisteddfod choir
Former home of Dilys E Edwards - the composer had studied with Herbert Howells and was a frequent broadcaster
The Hanging Tower - convicts were hanged here, the last in 1910 for killing his mistress on Christmas Day
The old jail - Victorian prison built on site of predecessor. One criminal had spent 42 terms inside by 1899
The old police station - chief constable of the new county constabulary was based here from 1857
Former county hall and court - included courtrooms. Grand frontage has Justice figure by Anglesey carver
Former home of poet William Morris - won National Eisteddfod chair in 1934 and was later Archdruid of Wales
Former home of quarrymen's leader - RT Jones secured a minimum wage. Was briefly a Labour MP
Former home of IB Griffith - first preached aged 17. Presented a Sunday radio programme for 20 years
Former shop of first Archdruid - David Griffith (Clwydfardd) made and maintained clocks for a living
Former grammar school - opened 1836. Known as Ysgol Jones Bach after JL Jones, headmaster for 34 years
Former Capel Ebeneser - largest Wesleyan chapel in Wales. Gwilym Lloyd George got married there in 1921
Val Feld's childhood home - Val, a dentist's daughter, campaigned for equality. Elected an AM in 1999
T Gwynn Jones' former home - he was a prolific poet, dramatist, translator and academic, largely self-taught
John Eilian's former home - he edited newspapers in various countries, and won Eisteddfod chair and crown
Old bonded warehouse - Morgan Lloyd imported wines and spirits through this tall quayside building
Pavilion site - hosted National Eisteddfod several times, and French stuntman Blondin in 1878
Former home of Capt Robert Thomas - broke the record for the fastest sailing to San Francisco
Old bonded warehouse, Palace St - untaxed wines and spirits stored here, before being sold on
Translator's former home - T Hudson-Williams provided Welsh editions from Russian
Rev JE Hughes' former home - literary journal editor was Capel Siloh minister 1894 to 1932
Site of Caernarfon railway station - now occupied by a supermarket
Angel figure - associated with the Foxwist family, influential in Caernarfon over several generations