Tag: Wales

Llandudno overview and detailed annotated timeline history by era and year to 2026

Llandudno, often called the “Queen of the Welsh Watering Places,” is a prominent seaside resort on the Creuddyn Peninsula in North Wales. Planned specifically as a mid-Victorian holiday destination, the town is renowned for its well-preserved 19th-century architecture, sweeping promenade, and the towering limestone headland of the Great Orme. 

Town Centre, photo taken March 2026

Historical Timeline by Era

Ancient & Medieval (Prehistory – 1800s)

  • Bronze Age (c. 2000 BCE): Extensive copper mining begins on the Great Orme; these are now recognized as the world’s oldest known copper mines.
  • 6th Century: St Tudno establishes a church on the Great Orme, giving the town its name (“Church of Saint Tudno”).
  • 1284: King Edward I conveys the Manor of Gogarth to the Bishop of Bangor.
  • Early 1800s: Kashmiri goats are introduced to the Great Orme, later becoming an iconic symbol of the town. 

The Victorian Transformation (1840 – 1901)

  • 1840: St George’s Church is built to serve the growing village.
  • 1848: Architect Owen Williams presents development plans to Lord Mostyn to turn the marshlands into a resort.
  • 1858: The railway branch line from Llandudno Junction opens, making the resort accessible to wealthy tourists from Liverpool and Manchester.
  • 1862: The Great Orme Lighthouse is built by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board.
  • 1877/1878: The Llandudno Pier opens (700 metres long) and the Marine Drive carriage road around the Great Orme is completed.
  • 1887: Happy Valley is gifted to the town by Lord Mostyn for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
  • 1890s: A large Jewish community settles in Llandudno, escaping persecution in Eastern Europe. 

Modern & Contemporary (1902 – 2026)

  • 1902: The Great Orme Tramway—the UK’s only cable-operated street tramway—opens.
  • 1914–1918 (WWI): Hotels are converted into hospitals; the 1st (North Wales) Brigade is headquartered here.
  • 1940–1945 (WWII): The town hosts the Coast Artillery School and becomes a haven for those escaping the London Blitz.
  • 1956: The electric tramway service to Colwyn Bay closes.
  • 1963: The Beatles perform in Llandudno; the Welsh National Eisteddfod is held in Happy Valley.
  • 1986: The first Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza is held to celebrate the town’s heritage.
  • 1994/2006: The North Wales Theatre opens, later expanded and renamed Venue Cymru.
  • 2017: A new lifeboat station is completed on the North Shore.
  • 2022: Llandudno officially twins with Champéry, Switzerland.
  • 2023–2026: Venue Cymru becomes the permanent home for the Welsh Open snooker tournament (February).
  • 2026 (Scheduled):
    • February: Nick Beer 10K (Feb 15) and Welsh Open Snooker (Feb 23–Mar 1).
    • May: Victorian Extravaganza and Transport Festival (May 2–4).
    • June: Llandudno Triathlon & Duathlon (Jun 28).
Wetherspoon pub reopens on 22nd August 2001 – photo as of March 2026

The Palladium in Llandudno, a Grade II listed building, was transformed into a JD Wetherspoon pub in 2001. The following timeline outlines its history from its origins as a grand theatre to its current use. 

The Palladium Timeline

  • 1920: The Palladium Theatre opens on the site of the former 1894 Market Hall. Designed by Arthur Hewitt, it originally featured 1,500 seats across three levels: stalls, dress circle, and balcony.
  • 1972: The building is subdivided for multi-purpose use. Bingo is introduced in the former stalls area, while a 600-seat cinema occupies the circle area.
  • 1999: The venue, then owned by Apollo Leisure, officially closes on 8th September.
  • 2000: The building is purchased by JD Wetherspoon for conversion into a pub.
  • 2001: Following a restoration project that returns the auditorium to a single open space, the Wetherspoon pub reopens on 22nd August – see picture above taken March 2026.
  • 2012–2013: A significant restoration of the exterior is completed to maintain the building’s historic facade.
  • 2024–2025: Wetherspoon invests approximately £1 million in a major refurbishment, focusing on the preservation and restoration of the heritage ceiling and the proscenium arch. 

Visiting The Palladium

  • Location: Gloddaeth St, Llandudno LL30 2DD
  • Type: Wetherspoon Pub in a converted Grade II listed theatre.
  • Features: Retains original theatrical character including painted ceilings, balcony details, and original seating.
  • Hours: Generally open from 8:00 am daily, closing at midnight or 1:00 am on weekends. 

Visiting Llandudno for the day, 05/10

Visiting Llandudno for the day, 05/10

The theatre, built on the site of a market hall, opened on Bank Holiday Monday 30 August 1920. It was designed in Baroque style by Arthur Hewitt, a councillor in Llandudno; he also designed Clare’s Department Store and the Washington Hotel in the town.[2][3]

The stuccoed facade has two domed towers to each side, and a central recess featuring an oriel window within pillars that support a pediment. On the ground floor there are shop fronts on either side of the entrance.[1][2] The original theatre had a circular entrance foyer, leading to the auditorium, which seated 1,500 in stalls, a dress circle and a balcony. There were also boxes either side of the stage and behind the dress circle.[2][3]

The building was a theatre and cinema during its early years. After the Second World War it was mainly a cinema, with stage productions during the summer. In 1972 there was a conversion, so that the interior was split into a bingo hall in the former stalls, and a cinema in the former dress circle. The building was closed in September 1999.[2][3][4]

It was purchased by Wetherspoons in 2000; it was restored as much as possible into its original condition, in accordance with planning permission, and was opened as a theme pub in August 2001. There was restoration of the exterior in 2012–13.[2][3][4]

Visited South West Wales in 2012

Visited South West Wales in 2012

Walking round Great Orme, Llandudno – 12/08/2024