Caernarfon Youth and Community Centre

Cadw's description

Location

At the E end of and set back from the street.

History

Originally a British School and built in 1856 by John Lloyd, architect of Caernarfon. It became a Board School after the 1870 Education Act and is shown in its present form on the 1888 Ordnance Survey. Converted to a youth and community centre in the late C20.

Exterior

Jacobean style single-storey former school, with basement to the rear where the ground falls sharply. Walls are snecked stone with freestone dressings, quoins and mullioned and transomed windows. The roof is renewed slate and is behind a parapet, while the L-hand wing has a hipped roof on moulded stone eaves. The main range has paired stone end stacks, while the L-hand wing has a similar ridge stack and the rear wing has a ridge stack with a single shaft and a gabled end bellcote. The plan comprises a main N-facing E-W range with a wing set back from the L end, and a wing placed centrally at the rear (S).The main, N-facing, front has an embattled porch in the angle with the L-hand wing. It has an ogee lintel to replaced doors and overlight, with a cross window to the R, beneath a parapet which has a panel reading 'Boys' in raised letters to the central merlon. Above it is a date stone with '1856' in raised numerals. Behind the porch the wall is raised between clasping panelled buttresses with bold polygonal pinnacles. A stepped 4-light window has narrow flanking lights, set beneath a corbelled band, and a parapet with inscription panel reading 'Board School' in raised letters.

To the R of the porch are 3 bays, of which the outer are brought forward under shaped gables with blind loops and have stepped 4-light windows, while the narrower central bay has a cross window. The wing on the L side a 4-light double-transomed window under a shaped gable to both side walls. Its gable end has 2 stepped 4-light windows in bays brought forward under shaped gables.

The L (E) gable end of the main range has 4-light windows flanking a central external flue below a blind quatrefoil in a spheric triangle to the gable. The R (W) gable end of the main range has 4-light windows with double transoms flanking an external flue, above which is a blind loop in the gable. The rear, with a basement storey, has 3 bays under shaped gables on each side of the rear wing. Each 3-bay group has 4-light triple-transomed windows in the outer bays, while the central projecting bay has a smaller 4-light window with single transom and blind loop in the gable. The basement has 4-light windows, except the inner bay on each side of the rear wing, which has replaced double doors.

The rear wing has, in its side walls, replaced lintelled doors set back from the angle with the main range, leading to stone steps with railings on the R side and to steel escape stairs on the L, and 4-light mullioned and transomed windows. In the basement, which is slightly stepped, are 4-light mullioned and transomed windows, while the R (E) side also has a blocked former doorway on the L side. In the gable end are a pair of stepped 4-light windows beneath a wide inscription panel with letters missing after the first letter B, and blind quatrefoil in a spheric triangle to the gable. The basement has 2 cross windows.

Interior

Largely altered with removal of partitions. The basement houses a former gymnasium and assembly hall.

Reason for designation

Listed as an exceptionally well-preserved and prominently sited mid C19 school retaining original architectural character.