Presbytery at Catholic Church of St Alban

Cadw's description

Location

North-west of Pontypool town centre across the relief road.

History

The presbytery was added c1870-1 and served as the house of studies until 1891 when the Franciscans left and the church was run by secular priests.

Exterior

Presbytery, built of squared coursed brown limestone rubble with a hipped Welsh slate roof and plain ridges, matching the adjoining church. Windows with flat lintels and cusped imposts, stone cills, large pane replacement windows, those to the upper floors with leaded lights. Wide double cross windows to ground floor. Rectangular 3 storey 6-bay facing Conway Road, left 3 bays advanced and gabled. Gabled entrance porch in left hand bay of section to the right, with kneelers and coping to gable – gap at apex may once have housed cross finial. Round headed doorway with dressed voussoirs to arch. Replaced door with plain glazed fanlight. Later door (inserted?) to left end of gabled section with attached modern carport. Left return elevation rendered with central bay, single window above, cross window below, both with leaded glazing. Narrow window to right. Rear elevation not seen.

Interior

Not inspected.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural and historic interest as a good example of a C19 presbytery, built as a house of studies to serve a Catholic missionary church. Despite some loss of original detail, it retains original character and has high townscape value and group value with the adjoining church and surrounding walls.