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History and Regeneration

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Cei Llechi (1611 – 2022)

Evidence of the origins of Cei Llechi can be found as far back as 1611, where according to maps, it appeared to be a levelled area with a face cut into the bed-rock on the east bank of the river Seiont. Eighteenth century views of the area such a painting by Richard Wilson (1745) also depict various activities such as netting and boat-repair taking place in this area.

Around 1780, this area was developed into a ‘quay’ of sorts by Thomas Hughes, a local merchant. Wheelbarrows were later introduced by Robert Griffith, a psalm-singer from Llanbeblig church, to move the slates and planks to slide them down into the vessels’ holds.

In 1793 an Act of Parliament enabled the formation of Caernarfon Harbour Trust. The trust created a new slate quay by widening and deepening the river Seiont and continued to develop the area. By the 1830s the whole area was bustling with industry including:

  • copper, lead and coal-bins,
  • ship and wood yards,
  • limekilns and foundries

In 1840 the Harbour Trust office was added to the north-westerly end to the design of John Lloyd, architect of Caernarfon. The Harbour Office is Grade II* listed.

The quay became an important part of the area’s transportation system as it enjoyed a direct rail connection to the Nantlle quarries from 1828 and to the national rail network from the 1860s.

The distinctive group of structures forming present-day Cei Llechi have gone through considerable changes over the centuries, hosting a variety of spaces, skills and trades such as:

  • offices
  • a block and pump maker’s workshop
  • coach house
  • blacksmith’s shop
  • coal yard
  • sheds & yards
  • warehouses

Cei Llechi was also home to the De Winton office - the most famous of Caernarfon’s engineering firms and a major supplier of equipment to North Wales’ slate quarries.

Cei Llechi in 2022 provides a home for different industries, including:

  • Blacksmith
  • Artists
  • Food producers
  • Restaurant
  • Graphic design / letterpress printing
  • Craftsmen and women
  • Hospitality
  • Art displays (an outcome of a project let by artist Bedwyr Williams)

Tying the old and the new, modern-day Cei Llechi offers a place to create, experience and buy and sell.

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  • Historical Photographs
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black and white illustration of cei llechi harbour in 1898 with large sailing ships in the water and castle in backgrond
 
 
  • black and white illustration of cei llechi harbour in 1898 with large sailing ships in the water and castle in backgrond
  • sepia image of ships docked in cei llechi in victorian time
  • sepia photo of two sailing boats docked in cei llechi in victorian time
  • image showing cei llechi bustling with slate and ships, with text underneath saying 'carnarvon slate quay and harbour'
  • black and white photo of workers in cei llechi, with stacks of slate in front of them
  • two horses pulling a cart filled with slates in dyffryn nantlle
  • a busy cei llechi with slate work in the harbour, castle in the background and railway with train passing by
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  • Before Construction
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cei llechi buildings in october 2018 before construction began. Walls boarded up and overgrown weeds.
 
 
  • cei llechi buildings in october 2018 before construction began. Walls boarded up and overgrown weeds.
  • brick wall inside cei llechi being supported by scaffold to avoid collapsing. Weeds and plants are overgrown inside.
  • cei llechi bare brick walls and no roof, with weeds growing
  • old brick fireplace in abandoned cei llechi building
  • run down cei llechi buildings showing collapsed walls and weeds
  • inside one of the cei llechi buildings, with plaster crumbling off the walls and holes in the wooden floor
  • old window boarded up in cei llechi, surrounded by grubby walls
  • old crumbling brick fireplace inside cei llechi building
  • original green wooden door with broken panes
  • three large stone ovens inside cei llechi building after the slate work finished
  • inside an abandoned building in cei llechi covered in overgrown weeds
  • one of the original small buildings in cei llechi, with a new wooden fence separating from the road
  • cei llechi buildings in october 2018 before construction began. Metal fence keeps people out of worn out buildings
  • view from the back of cei llechi showing the individual buildings before construction
  • caernarfon castle and a run-down cei llechi surrounded by a fence and large car park
  • run down exteriors of cei llechi building and 'keep out' safety wall
  • small bungalow in cei llechi with boarded windows
  • tall house in cei llechi with bars over doors and windows
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  • During Construction
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buildings covered in scaffolding in cei llechi and new steel structures during construction
 
 
  • buildings covered in scaffolding in cei llechi and new steel structures during construction
  • large new steel structure in cei llechi ready for converting into building
  • workers repairing walls of damaged buildings in cei llechi
  • roof repair in cei llechi, showing roof timbers being made secure
  • timber beams in cei llechi
  • trawstiau pren yn cei llechi with IP and LC carved into the wood by hand
  • the whole of cei llechi covered in scaffold during major works, with castle in the background
  • aerial view of cei llechi during construction with metal fencing around the perimiter and scaffold covering the building
  • new metal structure showing with new roof joining original cei llechi buildings
  • the outside of one of the buildings with large bay window and scaffold
  • large metal structure with curved top joining two original cei llechi buildings
  • red brick building with new bricks and rendering, with large repaired building behind covered in scaffold
  • repaired outer stone wall in cei llechi with metal fence keeping people out
  • buildings in cei llechi under construction, one with new roof being installed and another new metal foundation ready to be covered
  • cei llechi under construction with new metal buildings foundations waiting for walls. Castle seen in background
  • large work on cei llechi buildings covered in scaffold, integrating new metal strucutres with old buildings
  • scaffold covering cei llechi buildings under repair and trench dug into the road in front of the buildings
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Smart cei llechi building after work is complete. New steel building integrates perfectly with original buildings. Painted walls for modern look - dark red, light green, white and dark green.
 
 
  • Smart cei llechi building after work is complete. New steel building integrates perfectly with original buildings. Painted walls for modern look - dark red, light green, white and dark green.
  • repaired stone buildings in cei llechi shown with castle in background
  • the whole of cei llechi after construction with slate and colourful red and green buildings
  • repaired buildings facing cei llechi harbour with new bike stands, tree boxes and signage
  • inside one of the cei llechi buildings, with one stone wall and a steel structure holding the building up, white walls and small stairs leading to a raised level
  • cei llechi clocktower at night with lights in windows
  • triangular roof on new cei llechi section, at night with lights on inside
  • inner walkway at night with buildings either side with lights on
  • cei llechi clocktower in daytime showing freshly painted navy blue doors and new signage
  • wide view of newly refurbished cei llechi from the dock with houses in the street behind
  • close up view of refurbished buildings exterior, one stone, one brick and one slate
  • inside one of the refurbished buildings, with an original stone wall merged with new metal structure and white walls
  • refurbished large room with three ovens, and new hanging ventilation
  • large spacious room with metal beams in the roof holding up a metal roof.

The GSB1 salmon boat

Located in Cei Llechi is a This is GSB1, a Caernarfon built salmon fishing boat that has been saved, renovated, and given a new lease of life as a unique bench.

Built in the 1960s, this was the last salmon fishing boat used on the Menai Straits during the early 1990s by Robert Watkinson (Wax), the last owner/captain as a working boat.

The boat was found outside a property on the Foryd, beign used as a flower planter. Alun Lewis Jones (Al Pents / Alun “Shipwright”) and Robert “Wax” arranged for the boat to be emptied of tons of soil and transported to his Felinheli workshop with the aim of preserving the boat so that the history of salmon fishing boats was not completely lost. Unfortunately, Al passed away in 2018, but thankfully his son, Bryn Granville Jones took on the challenge of rescuing the GSB1 and in doing so brought new life to this wonderful boat as a bench for everyone to enjoy.

We are delighted to have the GSB1 on display here in Cei Llechi as it was Al Pents’ wish for the boat to be on display for the public. It is understood that only two Caernarfon built salmon fishing boats exist – the GSB1 and “Cacwn” which has been preserved and is in stored by the National Museum of History, St Fagans.

The work was commissioned in 2021 by Galeri Caernarfon Cyf and the Caernarfon Harbour Trust. The renovation was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.