History

The large-scale development of Llandudno as a seaside resort originates from the late 1840s. In 1846, Owen Williams, born on Anglesey, but in business at Liverpool is said to have proposed a resort to John Williams agent of the Mostyn family who had sponsored the enclosure of the common land below the Great Orme. A fisherman's hut below the Great Orme was the meeting place where Owen Williams and The Hon T E M Lloyd Mostyn MP developed the idea. Plans were drawn up by Wehnert & Ashdown, architects and surveyors, of Charing Cross, London. Leases were offered for sale on 29 August 1849.

The St George's Hotel was amongst the first buildings on the Parade, and opened in 1854. It was built for Isaiah Davies, a local man who had inherited the King's Head public house; he allegedly obtained this prime site by cancelling the drinking debts of Mostyn agent John Williams. St George's Crescent was built as a terrace of symmetrical composition which has undergone some later alterations, eg addition of attic storeys, alterations to Wave Crest Hotel and to St Georges’s Hotel. Originally each end block, namely parts of St George’s Hotel and Queen’s Hotel, were of five bays width facing sea; this part of St George’s Hotel now of nine bays width having assimilated an adjacent 5-window unit. The hotel was extended towards the W from 1878. As one of the the most prestigious hotels in Llandudno, guests have included Disraeli, Gladstone, Lloyd George, Churchill, Bismarck, Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie.

Exterior

Hotel. Stucco with rusticated ground floor; slate roof. Three storeys, on basement, plus attic. All sash windows have been replaced by metal casement glazing. Corner block with 9 windows to Parade, 3 windows to St George's Place.
Giant order of Corinthian pilasters to first and second floors; crowing entablature. Above the entablature there is an attic storey with plain pilasters and moulded cornice. Windows with stuccoed shouldered architraves on second floor, first floor sash windows with moulded architraves, and with alternate triangular or segmental pediments on consoles. Ground floor to Parade covered by galzed loggia with balustrade and Ionic columns, deep fascia board; elaborate iron rails to first floor balcony over.

The hotel has taken in the formerly separate building to L. Five windows. At attic level, central dormer with triangular pediment paired sashes; outer bays have dormer (relief decoration) with semi-circular pediments and single sash windows. Modillion cornice. Moulded band course between cornice and 2nd floor windows. Second floor windows are all 12-pane sashes in lugged architraves. On first floor, sashes without glazing bars in moulded architraves; central window has segmental pediment. Central doorway with 2 sash windows to each side covered by glazed verandah.

In St George's Place, centre bay of 3-window block has steps (granite balusters) up to porch with paired granite columns; granite facing to entrance. To R of this, 5-storey tower with hipped roof and round-headed window; 3 round-headed windows at attic level; 2 windows on 3rd, 2nd, 1st floors; bow window below. To R of this, block of 4 storeys and attic, 8 windows; segmental pediments to attic dormers, bracketed cornice; on first floor alternating 1-light and tripartite windows with segmental pediments; on ground floor, alternating bow windows and single-light windows; porch in end bay. Balustraded forecourt walls and piers in St George's Place.

Three storeys and attic. Each end block with sash windows with flat beads on ground floor. There is an ornate iron work balcony parapet of c1912 before first floor of the St George’s Hotel.

Interior

Although some rooms have been combined, retains cornices etc generally Baroque in style. Grand dining room (early C20?) in Adam style with low-relief frieze, swags, panelling etc.

Reasons for Listing

The earliest of the major hotels on Llandudno sea front, which is the most important part of the planned Victorian seaside resort of Llandudno. Group value with adjacent listed buildings.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• St George's Hotel, Llandudno official website
• Wikidata Q24518992

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

• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)