Constitution Hill, Aberystwyth

From medieval times up until the early twentieth century, Constitution Hill was the site of several large quarries which, along with others in the area, provided much of the stone required to build the town of Aberystwyth including its castle.^[5]

In 1895 the Aberystwyth Improvement Company was formed, a business venture with the goal of developing the hill for leisure and tourism. The company was financed by businessman George Newnes and the project to develop the hill was engineered by George Croydon Marks.^[6] The company developed the hill extensively over the following years, including the construction of a restaurant and arcades at the bottom,^[7] a theme park called Luna Park and the original camera obscura,^[8] and the Aberystwyth Cliff Railway. The Luna Park development did not survive long, as successive summers of poor weather in the early twentieth century limited visitor numbers.^[9] The railway, which operated over a length of 778 feet (237 m) on a standard gauge at a gradient steeper than 50%,^[7] and opened in 1896, proved more successful.^[8] Initially powered by pouring water into a tank in the descending car, it was converted to electric operation in 1921.^[10]

The original camera obscura and other Victorian features on the hill's summit were abandoned and became derelict during the first half of the 20th century, and by 1959 only one building remained.^[11] The site was redeveloped in the 1980s, with the modern camera obscura and other facilities being built.^[12]

• Constitution Hill
• Photos of Constitution Hill on geograph.org.uk

52°25′30″N 4°04′59″W / 52.425°N 4.083°W / 52.425; -4.083