Pontypridd Register Office

Cadw's description

Location

To the S of and uphill from the railway station, facing Dewi-Saint Hospital.

History

Built in 1913 (date on building) in a style similar to Henry Hare's Municipal Buildings of 1904.

Exterior

A 2-storey 9-bay main wing in a free Baroque style, of coursed rock-faced stone, rusticated pilasters and freestone dressings. The slate roof is behind a plain parapet and is hipped at both ends, but the middle 5 bays have a heightened ridge with end stacks and central cupola with pilasters and pyramidal cap. The windows have been replaced in original openings, which are under lintels in the upper storey and mainly segmental-headed with keystones in the lower storey. The central bay has a segmental-headed doorway with keyed head, and replaced doors and overlight. Above the door is a blank tablet, then a window framed by panelled pilasters with foliage drops, and a lintel enriched with a scroll and foliage. Within an open segmental pediment that is carried up above the parapet is the date inscription below scroll enrichment.

The 5 central bays are symmetrical. Then on the L side is a narrower bay, with lintelled windows in both storeys, and a wider bay at the L end with a pair of windows. The 2 end bays on the R side are similar in having 2 upper-storey windows, except that in the bay set back from the end the wide segmental window is cut down for a doorway, with double doors. In the L end wall of the main range is a Tuscan pilaster to the L side, with boarded door and lintelled window in the lower storey to its R. To the L of the pilaster the roof is lower and there are a pair of windows in each storey. On the R side is a similar pilaster R of centre, above which is a stone eaves stack, to the R of which is a bullseye window in the upper storey and a lintelled doorway below. To the rear are 3-storey wings with a lower 2-storey link, housing the stair, in the centre, with rendered walls, freestone and white-brick dressings, replaced windows, and hipped roofs with brick stacks.

Interior

The entrance vestibule has a glazed green-tile dado. Beyond it, in the link between the 2 rear wings, is the main stair. An imperial stair has cast iron balusters and moulded wooden hand rail. At the foot of the stairs are 2 square tiled columns spanning a segmental arch, above which the columns are carried up as newels to the landing with blind balustrade between. At the lower landing level are 2 cast iron Tuscan columns supporting a moulded entablature.

Reason for designation

Listed, notwithstanding replacement of original windows, for architectural interest as a well-designed public building in early C20 free Baroque style.