History in Structure

Cliff Railway House

A Grade II Listed Building in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.4224 / 52°25'20"N

Longitude: -4.0839 / 4°5'2"W

OS Eastings: 258390

OS Northings: 282532

OS Grid: SN583825

Mapcode National: GBR 8R.NK3X

Mapcode Global: VH4FC.5CCV

Plus Code: 9C4QCWC8+XC

Entry Name: Cliff Railway House

Listing Date: 24 November 1987

Last Amended: 24 November 1987

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 10207

Building Class: Domestic

ID on this website: 300010207

Location: At the bottom of the terrace, facing down Queen's Road; the railway rises up Constitution Hill which forms the northern termination of the Promenade.

County: Ceredigion

Community: Aberystwyth

Community: Aberystwyth

Built-Up Area: Aberystwyth

Traditional County: Cardiganshire

Tagged with: House

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History

Opened 1 August 1896, cost £60,000 and climbs 400 ft. The only railway of its kind to be built in Wales and the second longest in Britain. Built as one of three enterprises by the Aberystwyth Improvements Company; the hill had become popular with Victorian tourists for taking their 'constitutionals' and the railway was part of a scheme to lay out the top of the hill with gardens, restaurant, dancing theatre etc. The engineer was Sir George Croydon Marks who had built previous cliff railways (eg Bridgnorth); it was operated by the water balance method with the water pumped up to the top by steam engine. The 2 carriages, each designed to hold 30 people and connected by high tensile steel cables, were by local coachbuilders, Richard Jones. Electrified in 1922 and restored after sale in 1976.

Exterior

The 2-storey Cliff Railway House is set into the slope; 4-window red brick front with painted dressings, hipped slate roof and brick chimney stacks rising either side of central cross gable with pediment treatment; datestone to centre. Pediments over splayed 1-window corners. Parapet with ball finials over cornice and pilaster strips terminated just below the 1st floor cornice. Horned sash windows with cills and keystones; arched openings to ground floor, broader to central main entrance; panelled doors. Side elevations have sash and casement windows, sash windows to rear with central splayed bay.

Red brick walls step up along the stepped platforms of the lower station. Twin railway tracks set into a cutting with concrete banks, diverge at crossing point. 3 out of 4 timber bridges remain. At top end concrete walls to the stepped platforms lead into the corrugated roofed upper station with boarded valence to front.

Reasons for Listing

Group value.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Balmoral
    Terraced group formin gth ehalf of Victoria Terrace, at the N end of the Promenade below Constitution Hill, between Plynlymon and Alexandra Hall.
  • II Abergeldie
    Terraced group forming the N half of Victoria Terrace, at the N end of the Promenade below Constitution Hill, between Plynlymon and Alexandra Hall.
  • II Cliff Railway including Upper & Lower Stations
    At the bottom of the terrace, facing down Queen's Road; the railway rises up Constitution Hill which forms the northern termination of the Promenade.
  • II Blaenwern
    Terraced group forming the N half of Victoria Terrace, at the N end of the Promenade below Constitution Hill, between Plynlymon and Alexandra Hall.
  • II Queensbridge Hotel
    Terraced group forming the N half of Victoria Terrace, at the N end of the Promenade below Constitution Hill, between Plynlymon and Alexandra Hall.
  • II Clarendon Hotel
    Terraced group forming the N half of Victoria Terrace, at the N end of the Promenade below Constitution Hill, between Plynlymon and Alexandra Hall.
  • II Sea Bank Hotel
    Terraced group forming the N half of Victoria Terrace, at the N end of the promenade below Constitution Hill, between Plynlymon and Alexandra Hall.
  • II Plynlymon Hall including Caerleon
    Near the southern end of the terrace between the Glengower Hotel and the Sea Bank Hotel. Set back behind cast-iron railings. Formerly 4 properties, combined to form Plynlymon Hall of Residence.

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