Lansdowne School, Infants

Cadw's description

Location

In the centre of Canton Community about 700m west of Canton Cross.

History

Built in 1896-8 and designed by Veall and Sant. One of a series of schools built by the Cardiff School Board and designed by these architects. This one is almost unaltered externally. The school became a military hospital during WWI.

Exterior

The design replicates very closely the upper floor of the Junior block. Newbridge sandstone rubble in thin courses, Bath stone dressings, brick chimney stacks and Welsh slate roofs. Single storey block in Elizabethan style with large classroom windows. Balanced elevation to the street, six bays, with the second and fifth bays recessed and the forward bays gabled. Each inner bay has a 4-light window on either ground floor, while bays 1 and 6 have 5-light ones. Some of the windows retain their small panes while others have been replaced with plate glass. The two centre bays have a triple coat-of-arms in the gable. These gables are joined by a plain 4-centred arch. The gables on bays 1 and 6 have panels with four coats-of-arms. All four gables have a stone ventilator in the apex and the centre ones retain their tall finials. Steeply pitched roofs with tall brick stacks with stone bands and weathered tops. The return elevations are blind except for paired 2-light windows with gables to light the central corridor. Rear elevation not seen.

Interior

Interior not seen at resurvey.

Reason for designation

Included for its architectural interest as a well designed and almost unaltered late C19 Board School.