The Market Hall

Cadw's description

Location

Situated towards the lower end of the village, on the S side of the road.

History

Market hall built for W.R. H. Powell of Maesgwynne in 1881-2, almost certainly to the designs of George Morgan of Carmarthen. In 1880 Powell proposed building a market hall with 3 houses attached, one to be a reading-room, one a coffee tavern and one a store for the Llanboidy Agricultural Society. The scheme was altered but a reading room is recorded as being opened in 1882, when the hall was already complete.

Exterior

Market hall, coursed squared grey rubble stone with ornamental bands in black and red brick, pale slate roof, shaped heavy bargeboards, ornate timber and slate louvred lantern, and terracotta ridge tiles. Large scale single-storey hall of seven bays with 3-window gable ends. Facade has arched openings with cut sandstone voussoirs under pointed flush outer arch of black brick linked at impost level by a course of red bricks between courses of black brick. The stone sills of the windows are also linked by a brick course, of black bricks only and the plinth has black brick chamfered top course. Windows are of Florentine type, two arched lights and a roundel above, while doors have a crescent overlight with roundel. C20 double doors with fixed segmental-headed double panel over (the original doors were higher and had panels where the fixed piece is now). End walls have 3 similar windows and big metal-traceried roundels in gables. The ridge lantern has louvred sides and a sharp pyramid slated roof, bell-cast at eaves and with metal fox weathervane. Rear lean-to with cambered-headed windows and stone voussoirs. Attached outbuilding at NW angle.
Attached near centre of facade is a granite water-trough given in 1890 to mark the completion of the village water supply in 'compliance with the last wish of W.R.H. Powell Esq.'. Half-oval bowl on plinth, with pointed top part ornamented with crown, wheatsheaf and sickle, 1890 date and motto 'Duw a digon'.

Interior

Single hall space with C20 stage at S end. Complex timber and iron roof trusses each with timber principals and collar, but iron-rod main tie to which descend 4 vertical iron rods and 4 raking wooden struts in W pattern . Boarded roof with 6 purlins, boards along eaves pierced with quatrefoil vents. On rear wall are pivoted pitch-pine screens that swung out to divide market stalls, with quatrefoil panels and ball-and-spike finials. Boarded roof to rear lean-to room.

Reason for designation

Included as an elaborate and highly unusual village market-hall, reflecting the patronage of W.R.H. Powell of Maesgwynne.