Former County Buildings

Cadw's description

Location

Occupying a large site between Saint Mark's Road and Saint Mary's Pro-Cathedral on W side of town centre. Set to rear of extensive forecourt.

History

Built as militia barracks 1857-8 to the designs of the younger Thomas Penson, architect and surveyor. Converted C1879 to a divisional police station and magistrates court, and extended in the 1890's. Latterly used as council offices and Art college annexe.

Exterior

Roughly coursed and squared stone with freestone dressings and steep slate roofs, with coped gables and axial and end wall stacks with chamfered shafts. Tudor gothic style, a courtyard plan with 2 storey, 5-bay entrance front flanked by advanced gabled ranges to either side. Central gable over main entrance in loggia (now glazed) comprising 5 bays of chamfered depressed gothic arches sprung between dwarf buttresses. 4-light oriel window with leaded roof over entrance, flanked by 3-light windows each side, all with mullions and transoms. Lower gabled wings similarly detailed: the right hand gable is advanced from the main range and houses entrance to No 1 court in its own gabled rear wing. Left hand range clasps the outer angle of the main front, and has a further rear wing, parallel to the main range. Projecting stair tower to No. 2 court at angle of the 2 ranges: Chamfered buttressed tower, with deep moulded arched doorway, the staircase expressed under a sloping, embattled roofline with stepped windows, to the left; the tower terminates in octagonal turret with miniature crenellations around slate spirelet with openwork crown and weather vane. Wide gabled returns each side, then rear wings and lower gabled rear cross range. Circular turrets at rear angles with window loops and conical roofs.

Interior

Original layout modified since 1980 by the enlargement of some rooms, the creation of circulation space, and the enclosing of the courtyard.