The Smiths Arms

Cadw's description

Location

On the S side of Neath Abbey Road just W of its junction with Taillwyd Road.

History

Public house of 1898 with ornate cast-iron porch. A similar public house with similar porch, but damaged is the Green Dragon at Cadoxton-juxta-Neath nearby. The porch may be made by W.A. Baker & Co of Newport whose catalogue includes similar ironwork. In 1926 listed as Smiths' Arms, Neath Abbey, Skewen, landlord D.H. Thomas.

Exterior

Public house, red brick with painted stone dressings and slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and brick end stacks. Small paired brackets to eaves. Two-storey, 3-window range with slightly projected gabled centre bay. Windows are cambered-headed with painted stone rusticated surrounds with panelled corniced keystones, sash windows with fixed small panes in the curved heads. Painted sills with narrow band of arcaded moulding beneath each sill. Left corner is chamfered to ground floor only, corbelled out in stepped brickwork above. Flush painted stone bands at sill and impost level on both floors, and painted quoins. Centre steep gable has half-timbering and brackets under gable verges. Pair of narrow 2-pane sash windows to first floor with keystones and arch linking them over AD1898 date in painted stone. Broad door with C20 door and sidelights in big cast-iron porch. Side bays have broader windows, a four-pane sash to first floor and broad sash with side-lights to ground floor. The porch is a large cast iron gable with dense pierced tracery, glazed roof and similar patterned front and side frieze bands with SMITHS ARMS in cast-iron lettering, the whole supported on two thin columns and two rear iron brackets.
Rubble stone right end wall. Red brick left end has bands continued from front, chimney breast at first floor and narrow similar window each side each floor, the ground floor left one C20 replacing a door.

Interior

Not inspected.

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as an unaltered late C19 public house with rich decorative detail and unusually fine cast-iron porch.