Many of you will have gone for walks over the Aber this summer, crossing the bridge opposite the castle entrance called Watergate. You would then have a choice of either turning left, past Coed Helen and back to town along South Road, or turning right for the Golf Club, the Foryd and Llanfaglan Church, returning to town on the main Llandwrog to Caernarfon road.

A haven for those partial to this form of exercise. But have you ever thought how our forbears crossed over to the foreshore before a bridge was built? Not the present one, but its predecessor.

The Town Council began discussing plans for building a bridge in 1897, and the old Aber Bridge was officially opened on St. David's Day, 1900. Prior to the turn of the century, people crossed over by a ferry boat owned by David Charles Pritchard, better known in Caernarfon as Dafydd 'Rabar, and he charged a halfpenny per person, one way.
Being that David Pritchard was about to lose his livelihood, he qualified for compensation and although the exact amount is not known, it was regarded at the time as substantial as it enabled him to invest in another business. He bought a property, a Bakehouse and Shop in Bryngwyn, Llanrug, and in 1903 put the business up for sale by auction, which was held at the Sportsman Hotel, Castle Street.

An example of how compensatory payments were calculated became common knowledge when the Menai Suspension Bridge was built. The ferry owner there was given a sum of money to compensate him for the loss of 30 years takings, based on the last 12 months the ferry was operational. In his case it amounted to a sum well in excess of £29,000. Such a figure in 1826 must have appeared phenomenal. It was, nevertheless true.

The old Aber Bridge was demolished prior to the 1969 Investiture, and for a short period during that time a Bailey Bridge was erected by the Army, but taken down shortly after the event. The present Bridge was then built in the early 1970's and like its predecessor is a Swing Bridge, thus enabling marine craft to enter and leave the Slate Quay.