Former Rhondda Borough Council Offices

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on the main Rhondda valley thoroughfare towards the N end of the community.

History

Built by Ystradyfodwg Local Board 1883-84 as municipal offices at a cost of £4000, Occupied by former Rhondda Urban District Council and Rhondda Borough Council; from 1996 by Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council.

Exterior

Built of coursed rock-faced sandstone with extensive ashlar dressings in relief, rendered to rear; hipped Welsh slate roof with stack to right. A roughly rectangular building with symmetrical palazzo frontage, matching but less symmetrical to sides. Main frontage has 2 storeys and basement and is 5 bays wide, the central slightly recessed. Windows with replaced glazing have heavily channelled ashlar surrounds and voussoirs, these especially prominent by their height and acute angles on the ground floor; matching staggered quoins. Central square headed entrance with voussoirs and quoins has flight of stone steps leading to deeply recessed square headed doorway with 8 panelled double door with rectangular overlight and channelled surround; at foot of steps are entrance gates comprising 4 iron pilasters with sliding metal railed gates. Heavy bracketed and panelled cornice to deep eaves; a string course continuing round sides divides the 2 main storeys; plinth of larger rock-faced stone blocks has segmental arched grilled basement windows at street level; a number of flagpole fittings attached to front. Two storey elevations with similar windows to sides; to left a side entrance doorway and to right a recessed bay with metal railings.

Interior

Entrance lobby has glazed swing doors, side and overlights enriched with coloured glass. Hall has polished grained wood 6 panelled doors and surrounds, dado rail and moulded skirting; moulded cornice and ceiling rose from which hangs a candelabra; terrazzo floor incorporating red dragon motif. Imperial staircase has moulded wooden newel posts and handrail, decorative metal balusters and polished wood side panel incorporating a large circular motif; it rises to a landing with a large round headed window with heavily moulded surround incorporating some coloured glass motifs and thence to a first floor landing with fine decorative polychrome tiled floor and access to main first floor rooms mostly refurbished; rooms on both floors retain some original furnishing such as ceiling mouldings, cornices and roses, shutters and panelled reveals, door surrounds and dados.

Reason for designation

Listed not withstanding replacement windows for its special interest as a late-Victorian civic building with imposing exterior design, and high quality interior fittings, the majority of which survive.