Octagonal Chimney, The Old College, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales
Posted by: 
Ddraig Ddu
N 52° 24.889 W 004° 05.289
30U E 425991 N 5807734
A odd chimney with eight (Octagonal) chimneys in a hexagon arrangement built to allow smoke out of the main hall. This is a strange design, and looks to be built for its design more than its function.
Waymark Code: WMADXF
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/02/2011
Views: 5
The original section of the Old College building was known as 'Castle House', due to its proximity to the Aberystwyth Castle Ruins. This was built as a hotel in the 1860’s, was designed by John Nash, under the orders of land owner Uvedale Price. Price had envisioned that Castle House would become a hotel, which would provide accomodation to the influx of middle class Victorian tourists who began to arrive with the advent of the railways.
However, during the construction of Castle House, Price and his company ran out of money and decided to put the building up for sale for around 12% of the building costs to that date. For the knock down sum of £10,000 the partially completed building was sold to the newly formed, and rather cash strapped University of Aberystwyth. They kept much of the original design, but didn't finish the build to the original plans, and went for a more simplistic purposeful design.
The chimney is not longer in function, however the fireplace could at any time be put back into use. However the Old College now uses oil to heat the building, the chimney simply functions as a attractive feature on the south/east view.