Wattstown Hotel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on the NW boundary of the community on the bank of the Rhondda Fach with Wattstown rising steeply above on the hill to N.

History

c1900. Hotel built to serve the community of Wattstown which developed round the National Colliery sunk in 1881. The hotel appears not to have been functioning by the time of the 1891census; a Goods Station for the Taff Vale Railway was formerly close by.

Exterior

Of coursed rockfaced sandstone with yellow brick dressings and chimneys with yellow pots, Welsh slate roof with formerly end stacks, 1 now missing, and 1 centre front: rendered to side. A 3 storey plain rectangular building. Five window range of; on first floor, 4 pane margin glazed sashes with decorative yellow brick surrounds and stone keystones and flush sills, the spaces between sills interspersed with ventilator grilles; similar smaller windows above; ground floor has mainly 8 pane sashes with glazing bars of unequal thickness and centre right a cambered arched doorway with 4 panelled margin glazed door and engraved glass overlight 'The Wattstown Hotel'. Side right rendered with 1 small margin glazed light and 1 inserted later; side left has a 2 window range of mostly margin glazed horned sashes with central doorway with renewed door; shallow rendered rear 3 and 2 storey cross wing.

Interior

Mostly retains original layout with central hall and staircase and many furnishings including shutters, moulded door surrounds, 4 panelled doors, glazed swing doors, some dado rails, ceiling mouldings and black marble fireplace.

Reason for designation

Listed as a scarce example of a mainly unaltered colliery hotel of simple but generously proportioned design built to serve a small late C19 mining community.