The "Lidl Caves"

[Edward Dewhurst]

Anyone with ideas on the history of these caves ?  I have a feeling they were constructed at the same time as the railway.  Despite their proximity to the British Hotel tennis courts, I doubt if they are linked to that.

[David Price]

[David Price]

[David Price]

The strange stone arches that were revealed during the creation of the Lidl car-park in the summer of 2000 were the remnants of the service-reservoir of Bangor's first public water supply.  In 1843, a reservoir was constructed at Cae Ffynon Ddeiniol (near Hendrewen Road) by James Smyth Scott of Dublin.  At about the same time, he purchased land at the bottom of Well Street  where he built the Bangor Gas and Coke Company.  Hugh Roberts, a draper of High Street, Bangor was a partner in the reservoir, and in 1846 became the sole proprietor.  He purchased additional land and constructed Nant Reservoir (above Hendrewen Farm) which increased the capacity.

Nant Reservoir was lined with brick and contained 500,000 gallons;  water flowed through an iron pipe, 3 or 4 inches in diameter, to a service-reservoir on the hillside opposite the British Hotel.  However, by about 1856, a new reservoir had been built near Bethesda with a service-reservoir at Twrgwyn on Bangor Mountain.  The old service-reservoir became redundant and was incorporated into the garden of the British Hotel.      

[Edward Dewhurst]

Very interesting - thank you David for the clarification.