Welsh School

Cadw's description

History

Dated 1874 (below centre window on north front). Szlumper & Aldwinckle, architects; Thomas Davies builder.

Exterior

Gothic.

One-storey, nearly symmetrical north front of 5 buttressed bays with gabled wings to right and left ends. Rubble facings, freestone dressings, yellow brick to eaves and plinth courses (and more extensively to rear elevation). Steep slate roofs with ridge cresting, square bellcote on ridge with spirelet, weathervane and cusped lucarnes. Pointed window with triple lancets in echelon under centre gablet, lesser windows are shouldered tripartites (modern porch to left), 4-light windows to outer gables. Side gables with 4-light transomed windows as before, quatrefoils to heads. Stepped elevation to Park Avenue with 2-and 3-light shouldered lights, tall tapered chimney stack (compare Butterfield) and ornamental iron grille-covers. Original ironwork railings with finials.

Assembly Hall in north range with 5-bay interior; A-frame trusses (boarded above tie-beams), arched braces on mid-wall corbels (double to centre), all with pierced quatrefoils and chevron ornament. Original timber architraves with crossover corners, braced and boarded doors, boarded dados. Flanking classrooms with similar detailing and open roofs (now with lowered ceilings and modern partitions). Tablet in Assembly Hall gives opening date on 4 August, 1874, and Szlumper & Aldwinckle, architects.

Wings extended to south, with some 189s detailing and modern alterations.

Reason for designation

Group value.