Celynen Collieries Workmen's Institute

Cadw's description

Location

Near the centre of town, on a corner site with Meredith Terrace,fronting the main thoroughfare leading westwards out of town.

History

Datestone 1907. Architect Richard Lewis Roberts of Abercarn. Commemorative boards in hall recording Chairmen from 1898. First pit at Celynen, in the Ebbw Valley east of Newbridge, was sunk in 1873 by the Newport Abercarn Black Vein Steam Coal Company. Mine subsequently known as Celynen 1,2,3. until Celynen North sunk 1913 when it was renamed Celynen South. In 1905 Celynen South was producing 10,000 tons a week and employed 1740 men. Celynen North, owned by the same company, first produced coal in 1916 and in 1920s was employing 1500 men. Thus the Institute was built in the heyday of Celynen South and was serving the miners of both collieries when the pits were working at their greatest capacity in the opening decades of the century.

Exterior

One of the larger extant miners' institutes. Of red and yellow brick, some painted, with painted stone
dressings; hipped slate roof, part Welsh part artificial, with overhanging eaves sprocketed to sides, central
ventilator and gable finials with tile-hung apexes, formerly incorporating some fishscale tiling; rockfaced
stone plinth. Upper windows mostly have fixed glazing with tipping casements in the multipane upper
lights; plate glazing to ground floor, altered; some windows blocked; decorative surrounds in yellow
brick have a moulded nookshaft and chamfered lintels incorporating a central round moulding. Main
frontage faces thoroughfare: 2 storeys, separated by a moulded string with floral frieze to entrance;
9-window range in 3 bays. To left and advanced is a gabled bay with 4 round-headed windows with
decorative hoodmould to first floor, paired and with a roundel above to centre; that to right is full length
with a small balcony. Rectangular ground floor windows and original blocked round-arched doorway with
moulded pilasters and wide decorative capitals and keystone bracket. To right and to end right the 2 bays
have 2 close-set windows to each floor separated by an inscription band 'Celynen Collieries Workmens
Institute'. Intervening bay - centre right - is gabled with similar paired round headed windows to first floor
and a canted bay window with decorative crest below. Side 4-bay elevation to side street has 2 pairs of
round-headed windows to first floor extending above eaves level with gables above; similar rectangular
windows to first and ground floor which also has a canted bay with decorative crest, and a doorway end left
which is now the main entrance.

Interior

Interior mostly refurbished. First floor billiard room.

Reason for designation

Included notwithstanding internal alterations for its special interest as a purpose-built colliery workers'
institute; group value with the Grade II* listed Memorial Hall and Church of St Paul opposite.