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- Jan 6, 2013
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1. The History
Built in 1848, the Soldier's Point Hotel was formerly the residence of the Government contractor. The early Victorian castellated building had two stories, barred windows and curtain wall towers and was faced in stucco. It was constructed in 1849 by Charles Rigby, the contractor for the Holyhead Breakwater, for his own residence. Based on two L-plan structures, the main house faced south-east.
In March 1918, the house’s then owner Lieutenant AF Pearson, chairman of the local magistrates, was charged with hoarding food including rice, jam, and sugar. The charges were dropped after he explained that wounded soldiers were treated to tea at the house every Sunday. It was expanded in the early twentieth century, with a substantial two-storey addition added to the west of the house after 1970. The second L-plan structure were out-buildings with castellations and turrets as per the main house. One of the towers of this screen wall was converted into a pill box during the Second World War.
Archive picture when it was still pretty much in its prime:
Soldier's point 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
In the mid-twentieth century circa 1950 it became a hotel but then fell into disuse around the turn of the twenty-first century, having been Grade II listed in July 1994. Plans were afoot to convert the old Victorian home into Holyhead’s Maritime Museum, but these never came to fruition as the direct consequences of fire in September 2011 which took 20 firefighters battling for more than 12 hours to put out the blaze. Since then it has been left as an empty shell.
Down the hill is its smaller sister house. Known as ‘Government House’ it was also built by Mr Rigby circa 1849 for use of Mr Dobson, his resident engineer. It was then used for some years as harbourmaster’s residence before becoming abandoned and falling into disrepair.
2. The Explore
Nothing special to be honest but it does have a fine façade and that, indeed, turns out to be this rather burnt-out shell’s saving grace. Not much to report apart from it was a quick opportunistic side explore while out for a walk with the family. It was easy enough to find my way in but there was little to see on the inside. The “Government House” just down the hill is also accessible and in a better state of repair. However, with most of the windows boarded up and it is looking a bit derpy, even though I could get in I wasn’t really that bothered.
3. The Pictures
It’s all about the frontage:
Soldiers 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7814bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
Soldiers 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Soldiers 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Soldiers 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Soldiers 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The outer wall is quite nice:
Soldiers 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7817 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7815 by HughieDW, on Flickr
In we go:
Soldiers 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7824 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7823 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Inside it’s pretty far gone:
Soldiers 10 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Soldiers 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A little bit of the original stucco work left:
img7827 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A few of the rather derpy house down the hill:
img7810 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7809 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7808 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And a bonus dead boat:
img7804 by HughieDW, on Fl
Built in 1848, the Soldier's Point Hotel was formerly the residence of the Government contractor. The early Victorian castellated building had two stories, barred windows and curtain wall towers and was faced in stucco. It was constructed in 1849 by Charles Rigby, the contractor for the Holyhead Breakwater, for his own residence. Based on two L-plan structures, the main house faced south-east.
In March 1918, the house’s then owner Lieutenant AF Pearson, chairman of the local magistrates, was charged with hoarding food including rice, jam, and sugar. The charges were dropped after he explained that wounded soldiers were treated to tea at the house every Sunday. It was expanded in the early twentieth century, with a substantial two-storey addition added to the west of the house after 1970. The second L-plan structure were out-buildings with castellations and turrets as per the main house. One of the towers of this screen wall was converted into a pill box during the Second World War.
Archive picture when it was still pretty much in its prime:
Soldier's point 01 by HughieDW, on FlickrIn the mid-twentieth century circa 1950 it became a hotel but then fell into disuse around the turn of the twenty-first century, having been Grade II listed in July 1994. Plans were afoot to convert the old Victorian home into Holyhead’s Maritime Museum, but these never came to fruition as the direct consequences of fire in September 2011 which took 20 firefighters battling for more than 12 hours to put out the blaze. Since then it has been left as an empty shell.
Down the hill is its smaller sister house. Known as ‘Government House’ it was also built by Mr Rigby circa 1849 for use of Mr Dobson, his resident engineer. It was then used for some years as harbourmaster’s residence before becoming abandoned and falling into disrepair.
2. The Explore
Nothing special to be honest but it does have a fine façade and that, indeed, turns out to be this rather burnt-out shell’s saving grace. Not much to report apart from it was a quick opportunistic side explore while out for a walk with the family. It was easy enough to find my way in but there was little to see on the inside. The “Government House” just down the hill is also accessible and in a better state of repair. However, with most of the windows boarded up and it is looking a bit derpy, even though I could get in I wasn’t really that bothered.
3. The Pictures
It’s all about the frontage:
Soldiers 01 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7814bw by HughieDW, on FlickrSoldiers 04 by HughieDW, on FlickrSoldiers 05 by HughieDW, on FlickrSoldiers 07 by HughieDW, on FlickrSoldiers 08 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe outer wall is quite nice:
Soldiers 02 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7817 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7815 by HughieDW, on FlickrIn we go:
Soldiers 03 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7824 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7823 by HughieDW, on FlickrInside it’s pretty far gone:
Soldiers 10 by HughieDW, on FlickrSoldiers 09 by HughieDW, on FlickrA little bit of the original stucco work left:
img7827 by HughieDW, on FlickrA few of the rather derpy house down the hill:
img7810 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7809 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7808 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd a bonus dead boat:
img7804 by HughieDW, on Fl
