Pumping Station

Cadw's description

History

Outer pumping station, built c1900-1910.

Exterior

Red brick with buff faience dressings, slate roof with tiled cresting, and raised louvred clerestories. Single storeyed, a long building of 2 parallel gabled ranges, with gabled wing advanced from N side, and a further extension (the boiler house?) from the NW. Paired gables face SE, each pedimented with modillion cornice; entrance in the wider and higher left hand gable. Segmentally arched doorway with heavy moulded hood. Pilasters mark the outer angles of the gables, and have capitals with swags in relief, and moulded volutes above egg and dart cornice. 2-bay return elevation to N divided by similarly enriched pilaster buttresses, and with a segmentally arched window in each bay. These have exaggerated splayed voussoir heads, and continuous impost band. Advanced wing is also articulated by enriched pilaster buttresses, and has narrow ventilation lights in two rows between plain terracotta bands, set high up on each side. Segmental pediment surmounted by a stack to gable. Continuation of main range beyond is a further 2 bays, detailed as before. Similar detail in long S-facing elevation. Lower rear wing has stack at angle, and simpler decorative detail.

Reason for designation

A good example of a pumping station building of the early C20 which uses a flamboyant architectural vocabularly to stress its public or civic purpose.