Welsh Journals

SHORTER ARTICLES AND NOTES The Vandals of Vandalton Charles Cook Wells: a Vandal! By Brian Price During 1867, and again in 1873, the Tenby Council made attempts to demolish part, or all, of the Five Arches. Charles Cook Wells was a Tenby alderman in favour of its demolition in this period, and in 1873 was the Mayor of Tenby. The attempts aroused condemnation from national bodies, and a sarcastic public letter suggested that the town of Tenby should change its name to Vandalton: How sonorous such a name how well it would look on the maps of Pembrokeshire on the envelopes of letters. And how would [Gentlemen of the Common Council] be eternalized in the records of modem improvements Richard Mason, the editor and owner of the Tenby Observer, was himself an alderman, and strongly opposed the suggestion. It all started in January 1867 with a request from Dr. Sutton, who was developing property in the "South Cliff" area (and had his name "eter- nalized" with a street name!) and needed road access to it. The large "Belmont Arch" now next to the Imperial Hotel had already been opened up for access five years earlier.2 At that time, the Five Arches had old houses very close to it on the outside, which prevented good access. It must be remembered that formerly it had had only two arches, to St. George's Street and to the outside, and that it had already been van- dalised. So also had the town walls in many other places; the huge hole through the tower next north had been made for a rope walk (for making rope for the marine trade), the North Gate had gone, and sundry pre- mises in Frog Street had made their own back doors. There has been a much more recent case of vandal-access through the town walls being made "without so much as by your leave". The Mayor during the 1867 attempt was Dr. Dyster, who opposed the motion of vandalism at the original special Council meeting of 23/1/1867. Adjournment of the idea was proposed, but Alderman Charles Wells