Old Police Station and Magistrates Court

Cadw's description

Location

To SW of the town centre. On a levelled site above the road opposite junction with Church Street.

History

Circa 1870. Style of Pritchard and Seddon, but possibly by S W Williams of Rhayader, County Surveyor. Comprises Tudorbethan Police Station (to L), and Gothic magistrates court to right: H-plan with porches to both angles.

Exterior

Mainly single-storey, but attic to police station. Rubble with freestone dressings, paler to magistrates court, which has deep red brick voussoir arches. Below the sill band at angles are unusual ramped buttresses. Slate roofs with cresting, and dog-tooth eaves band to R; gabled cross range to L, and gablet roof to taller court at R with iron finials and conical ventilator. The police station has twinned horned sash windows to both floors with relieving arches and chamfered jambs. Distinctive porch inscribed 'Police Station' with R side stepped inwards above the impost to a Caernarfon Arch derived entrance on which the shoulders are roll-moulded. Studded, pointed arch door. 3-grouped windows to centre with Caernarfon arched heads and latticework bars over the glazing. Gabled porch to the magistrates court; freestone dog-toothed pointed arched over flatter brick arch; label and dog-toothed ornament returned around the L side. Studded pointed arch doors. Three windows to R grouped under continuous label; red brick pointed arches over horned 12-pane sashes with stop-chamfered jambs. Lattice work ventilation panel to the gablet. 3 similar but not grouped, windows to the R side and slate hanging to rear.

Rubble forecourt wall with roll-moulded band.

Reason for designation

Included as well-preserved example of building type.