Fishguard Bay Hotel, Fishguard and Goodwick (Abergwaun ac Wdig), Pembrokeshire

History

Large late C19 to early C20 hotel, said to have been built around a core C18 house called Windcliff, built for 2 brothers called Rogers, reputedly smugglers, but who established an oil-mill at Goodwick. Marked on the 1840 Llanwnda tithe map, as also the house to the SW demolished for the c1905 additional front range of the hotel.
The NE range called Wyncliffe and also Goodwick House was enlarged in about 1887-8 by the addition of wings to become a 16-bedroom, 4-sitting-room house, for a Mr Morison, and sold to the Fishguard & Rosslare Railways & Harbour Co in 1896 to become the Hotel Wyncliffe. Subsequently bought by the Great Western Railway, and renamed Fishguard Bay Hotel, it was extended from c1905 with a very large front range, completed in 1910, probably to the design of Jenkinson & White of London, whose plans for the Hotel and a pair of villas were approved in 1900. The hotel in 1910 had 40 bedrooms, 2 apartment suites, dining-hall, smoking-room, 2 lounges and a billiard room. Full board was from 3 guineas (£3.15). The gardens were laid out by Treseder of Truro.
It remained a railway hotel until 1951, and was only intermittently used thereafter until reopened in 1967, refurbished in 1974 with substantial extensions.
Old photographs pre-1910 show the earlier NE range much as now apart from the 1974 ground floor additions. The original had a door in the first canted bay and an arched stucco corniced porch to the centre section. Also removed, probably in 1974, was a big porch to the main entry, possibly of iron.

Exterior

Later C19 and early C20 with later alterations. Front range is of 1900-10 added to a much lower rear range which was the former Wyncliffe, mostly of c1887. South front range is large 3 storeys and attic, 5 bays, the left bay much wider in the form of a full-height canted bay window with crowning gable and the right end abutting an even larger canted corner entrance tower of 4 storeys. Painted stucco with slate roof and 2 stuccoed ridge stacks. Roof is hipped at SW corner. Plate glass sashes or C20 imitations generally, with stucco voussoirs and keystones. Moulded string under attic windows, overhanging bracketed eaves much broken for gable and dormers. Bay to left has sashes on 3 main floors, string course over ground floor and attic gable with fretted bargeboard, the canted sides with short window each and flat eaves. Four-bay main part has 2-storey iron veranda of 4 bays with 2 narrow outer bays to accommodate canted sides of flanking structures. Ornate brackets to columns, glazed roof, iron first floor railings. French windows with top-lights to both floors. Second floor and attic have sash windows as elsewhere the attic ones close-spaced and breaking eaves under coped gables. The 4-storey entrance tower on the corner is stylistically indefinable, the top floor above attic string course has corbelled octagonal angle shafts up to main entablature with big dentilled cornice under curved parapets with angle finials. The lower floors have angle quoins, but ground floor is obscured by large C20 flat porch. Sash windows with narrower side lights to all 3 upper floors. Within porch is original arched entry, the door with sidelights in a big coved surround with scrolled heavy keystone. Double doors with bevelled glass, also to fanlight. The W side, against hillside is plain, 3 storey and attic.
The rear range running NE is of 3 joined ranges, each of 2 storeys and attic but centre lower than flanking blocks (the centre perhaps incorporating the C18 house). A modern glazed sun lounge obscures entire ground floor. Painted stucco, slate roofs with ornate fretted bargeboards and sash windows with voussoirs and keystones as on front range. From left: first a one-window range with attic sash breaking eaves in gable with bargeboard and finial over a storeyed canted bay window with sash lights on first floor. Single sash to left. Centre section is lower, of 2 bays; 2 attic gables with sash windows immediately over tripartite first floor sash windows. Right section of 2 bays, taller with left stack and 2 attic gables with C20 windows over first floor left hand storeyed canted bay window with sash lights and right hand single. Angle quoins, bargeboards on gable end. Large ballroom addition of 1974 beyond.

Interior

Interiors of interest principally in the 1905-10 front range which has hardwood panelled doors and panelled dados throughout. Doorcases are moulded and corniced. Polygonal entrance hall with panelled reception kiosk, big open well stair up to attic in 3 flights with landings. Iron balusters. Off hall to W is lounge with 3-panel ceiling with dentil cornices, panelled pilasters, and fine overmantel, of open curved pediment, carved fruit and flower drops in C17 style each side of eared framed panel. Panelled pilasters, eared fireplace surround with carved decoration to shelf. Doors with etched engraved glass to billiard-room beyond (behind canted bay window) which has very similar fireplace overmantel and 2-panel ceiling. In body of hotel much more alteration, main bar has 3-panel ceiling and early C20 Ionic columned fireplace with pulvinated frieze.

Reasons for Listing

Included as the only example in the region of a major railway hotel, of historical interest as built for the transatlantic trade, and retaining much of its character.

External Links

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