Criccieth - The Promenade

Description

Criccieth - the Promenade
One of the principal landowners in the district was Hugh Ellis-Nanney of the Gwynfryn estate. It appears that he had great ambitions to develop the east side of the town as a Victorian seaside resort as Lord Mostyn had done at Llandudno. He proposed that he would build a promenade at his own expense and would present it to the town in exchange for various parcels of land. The foundation stone was laid in 1883 and the new promenade (or esplanade) was handed over to the Local Board in 1888. As owner of all the land behind this structure he laid out plots for a crescent of twenty five large houses.
The engineer who designed and built the promenade and the first four houses was George Leedham Fuller. Unfortunately problems were encountered the first winter. The base of the sea wall scoured out so new deeper footings had to be dug. During storms the cellars of the houses flooded and it became obvious that the concrete construction, of the houses was not adequately reinforced. This type of building was in its infancy. No more were built and every winter the building deteriorated. In 1925 the houses were demolished.The land adjoining the promenade was later gifted to the community by Nanney-Ellis’s daughter Mrs Lewis.
It is a very pleasant place to take a stroll and is very popular with residents and visitors.