Radnor District Council Offices (formerly Gwalia Hotel)

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in the centre of the town at the junction of five roads; V-plan building with side elevations to Norton Terrace and Ithon Road.

History

Opened in 1900 (replacing the original Gwalia Hotel built in 1877 on the opposite corner), by Swash and Bain, Architects of Newport.

Exterior

Queen Anne Period and Edwardian Baroque. 3-storey and attic brick front framed by octagonal, domed turrets and with advanced stuccoed giant arched entrance bay. Segmental dentilled pediment terminating in scrolls and supported by plain cornice on pilasters with Ionic-influenced capitals; arch to 2nd floor with shield and recessed window; 1st floor built out as a bay with horizontal cartouche above 2 sash windows with fluted columns to centre. Plain semicircular arched entrance with panelled wooden doors. Large ironwork verandah projecting across front with semicircular iron ribbed canopy to entrance with cresting to arch and ridge; rich scroll work and cast iron columns with traceried spandrels and foliated capitals. Sash windows octagonal turrets almond-shaped pivot windows to the top floors with large keystones rising to brick eaves courses to leaded domed roofs.

Hipped slate roof with exposed eaves and 2 brick stacks to front pitch 3 to left side. 3 semicircular headed dormers with sash windows with glazing bars in architraves. Slightly advanced bays either side of centre with sashes linked by stuccoed heraldic panels.

4-storey and attic left side (Norton Street) elevation on downhill slope to Rock Park. 4 semicircular headed dormers and 3 splayed brick bays with concave stone parapets on moulded brackets and heraldic panels to the tops of each bay. Sash windows. Terrace of front continues around at 1st floor level to depth of one bay of left side with ironwork to railings and small openings within brick terrace wall. Later semi-octagonal 6-storey stone tower beyond in Baroque Revival style. Domed top with classical semi-frieze and broken pediments to 1st floor sash windows. Stepping further down the hill, 5-storey, 6-window block adjoining in similar light Baroque style. Brick with freestone dressings; parapet with detailed cornice below and shield to centre. 3 splayed bay to left with stone parapets and shields and large keystones. Other sash windows linked by ashlar panels and with broken pediments to 1st floor and triple Keystones to ground floor. Plain right side elevation stepping down Ithon Road, 7-window wide, 3-storey basement and attic, 5 dormers, all sash windows.

Interior

Interior retains fine entrance hall with two level galleries on 3 sides with ironwork banisters, wooden newel posts and repeated traceried patterns. Stuccoed and panelled ceiling, good Art Nouveau glass to all 3 floors and to staircase. Doors with sinuous detail, council room to right has classical plaster frieze and dentiled cornice.

Reason for designation

Group value.