Brannigan's including forecourt walls and railings

Cadw's description

Location

On corner with Greyfriars' Road.

History

Built in 1893 as the South Wales Institute of Engineers, a body which enjoyed a close connection with the industrial development of South Wales and Cardiff, particularly with regard to coal and iron; large library extension of 1907. By EWM Corbett, architect. Converted to pub-restaurant circa 1990. Restored after severe damage by fire 1994.

Exterior

Pressed red brick and terracotta; slate roofs; tall moulded red brick stacks. Late C19 "Queen Anne Style". Ornate elevation to Park Place of two storeys and attic, five bays. Each pair of outer bays project slightly and has a gable to attic storey ornamented with pilasters, swags and ball finials. Each gable with paired attic sash set within an arch; first and ground floor windows similar but with transoms. First floor windows flanked by panelled pilasters; mock machicolation above window heads. Blind opening to centre bay ornamented with panels decorated with swags, cartouches etc; date plaque above ground floor cornice. Ground floor windows flanked by panelled pilasters ornamented with plant motifs. Central ground floor doorway recessed behind tall segmental arch with keystone; modern canopy. Simple side elevations (modern conservatory to R). In Greyfriars' Road, library extension has elevation of two storeys, six bays. First floor with entablature with moulded frieze and modillions and a paired sash to each bay. Centre two bays have quoins and are surmounted by a triangular pediment with finials bearing the date 1907. Flanking bays and end bays with pilasters, the two outer bays have lower entablatures and shorter windows. Ground floor with entablature and order of rusticated Ionic half-columns, the latter structurally incorporating the gabled piers of enclosing wall and railings into the bases of the half columns. Low enclosing wall with short iron railings reaching up approximately to cill level of ground floor windows. Centre four ground floor windows round-headed; window in each end bay curved at upper corners. At the east end of the library wing, a pair of gates leads into the main forecourt. The main forecourt to the Institute is enclosed by a low red brick wall with ashlar coping and brick piers with coping, lanterns to entrance piers; iron railings.

Interior

Period interiors largely lost in conversion and fire.

Reason for designation

Lively terracotta building, former home of historically important Institute.