Caernarfon was recorded in the gas literature as spelt either Caernarfon, Caernarvon, or Carnarvon. The Caernarfon gasworks were built 1832 "The first in Wales to be financed by a Local Authority". A plate outside the works read "GAS WORKS ERECTED IN THE YEAR 1832. The Most Hon. Henry William Marquis of Anglesey, Mayor. Wm. Roberts, Deputy Mayor. O. O. Roberts and Edward Parry Bailiffs. W. Webber Engineer. J. Lloyd, Architect." The gas supply began in 1833, largely due to two Bailiffs Owen Owen Roberts and Edward Parry. Owen Owen Roberts later moved to Bangor where he led the introduction of gas lighting, largely for reasons of public order. The Caernarfon gasworks were later leased to private owners. There was a Special Act in 1837. The Mayor (Mr J.P. De Winton Esq) said of the gas supply “he might truly say that it was one of the worst supplied towns in the matter or gas, Carnarvon gas was a perfect disgrace to the Principality.” (The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality 2nd December 1871). There was a long case held about the Carnarvon Gasworks in 1875, which focussed on the mismanagement of the gasworks and its accounts. From the cases reported in the papers, it can be ascertained that the gasworks were managed from 1860 to 1875 by a Mr Crippin, the works used some cannel coal in gas making. He had been in partnership with a Mr Brothers from 1858 to 1860. Mr Crippin had bought the lease to the gasworks for £2500 in 1858 and had spent between £5000-6000 on capital expenditure at the gasworks by 1875. This expenditure had covered a purchasing a second hand gasholder and new gas mains. There was an old gasholder built by Rettons of Blackburn which was out of operation. Both the town and harbour had stopped taking gas from the gasworks c1872. A Mr Mathew Parsons was the manager of the gasworks from 1866 to 1870 and from 1872. During his time as manage he mentioned the following were added: a purifier house and three box purifiers, retort increase from 13 to 30, a scrubber, 2nd hand exhauster and engines, three more purifiers and a new tar well and wall to stop the tar from leaking. There were a lot of gas leaks from the old gas mains. The works supplied the Morfa Slate quarries with gas. (Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent 17th April 1875).

The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard from the 11th of June 1875 “CARNARVON GAS FOR CARNARVON’. —At a special meeting of the Carnarvon Corporation, the award of Mr (Charles) Hunt, umpire in the arbitration relative to the amount to be paid to Mr Crippin, proprietor of certain works in Carnarvon, for his interest in such undertaking, was read. The award was £5,500, considerably under the anticipated amount. Mr De Winton, chairman of the Gas Committee, stated that the purchase of the freehold, expenses of the arbitration, putting the works into working order, would be about £18,750 (inclusive of the amount of the award), while the gross annual receipts initially be estimated at £3,000. The purchase, in the first instance, would be completed by a private undertaking the Carnarvon Gas Consumers' Company - formed for the purpose of treating with Mr Crippin, and would by them be transferred to the Corporation for the use of the town.” Acquired by Carnarvon Corporation, following a Special Act of 1875. A Freehold of 0.99a at Morfa Seiout was purchased from John N. F. Astley by Caernarvon Gas Company for £5,250 on the 6th May, 1876. J. T.B. Porter & Co. of Lincoln listed Carnarvon among the towns where they had extended gas works or added a gas holder. The list was published in 1878. The situation in the gasworks does not appear to have improved much as in 1879, 1884, 1887 and 1899, residents of the town were still complaining to the local press of the poor quality of light. In 1881 Mr M.J. Parsons was the Manager. By 1887 there was a long siding into the gasworks, following the west side of St. Helen's Road. In 1895 Mr Thomas Wilkinson was listed as the Manager (Kelly). In 1899 there was support for the introduction of electricity (Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent 7th April 1899). In 1903 "It was reported at the last meeting of the Carnarvon Town Council that the Gas Committee had engaged Mr. Henry Woodall to report on the abnormal leakage of gas which exists in the town. The figure rose to 15% last year and Mr. Woodall attributes this mostly to the small size and extreme age of the (gas) mains. In 1909 Mr. W.M. Ruxton was the engineer of the gasworks and had been for 12 years, he was presented a walking cane for his service (Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent 1st January 1909). Tully Gas Plants Ltd. of Newark included “A Tully plant of a capacity 300,000 cu.ft./day” in a list of such plants supplied by between 1919 and September 1923. At vesting in the Wales Gas Board (from the Caernarfon Corporation) in 1949, "the condition of the carbonising plant was not satisfactory". Early bulk supply was considered but it was decided "to complete the erection of a Tully plant ordered for Caernarvon before vesting day", which was done but not complete till 1952. Annual gas production in 1949 was 76m cu.ft.. The Caernarvon gasworks closed in December 1955 following a supply of gas from the North Wales Gas Grid but retained as a gasholder station. The gasworks were visible on the 1890 to 1990 OS maps.