Old Town Hall, Llandrindod Wells

Last updated

Old Town Hall
Native name
Hen Neuadd y Dref Llandrindod (Welsh)
M. Morgan Lloyd Funeral Directors, Llandrindod Wells - geograph.org.uk - 3479473.jpg
Old Town Hall
LocationTemple Street, Llandrindod Wells
Coordinates 52°14′27″N3°22′39″W / 52.2407°N 3.3774°W / 52.2407; -3.3774
Built1872
Architectural style(s) Victorian style
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameBrynarlais
Designated9 June 2008
Reference no.87569
Powys UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Shown in Powys

The Old Town Hall (Welsh : Hen Neuadd y Dref Llandrindod) is a municipal building in Temple Street, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales. The structure, which accommodates the offices of Llandrindod Wells Town Council, is a Grade II listed building. [1]

History

The building was commissioned by the first resident medical doctor in the town, William Bowen-Davies, for use as his private house, which he named "Brynarlais". Bowen-Davies went on to become an expert on the benefits of the mineral waters which were naturally available from the springs in the town. [2] The house was designed in the Victorian style, built in a combination of yellow brick and rubble masonry and was completed in around 1872. [1]

The design of the original building involved a symmetrical main frontage with three bays facing south; the ground floor, which was built in yellow brick, featured a central arched porch with voussoirs flanked by bay windows, while the first floor, which was built in rubble masonry, was fenestrated with a tall central sash window with an architrave flanked by standard-sized sash windows, also with architraves. The building was extended at the back, along Temple Street, in around 1890 to create additional accommodation for Bowen-Davies' surgery. The extension included a prominent two-storey canted bay which projected forward towards Temple Street and was surmounted by a castellated parapet; there was also an additional porch with columns supporting a modillioned canopy, proving access direct to the surgery. [1]

Following significant population growth, largely associated with the large number of visitors to the local mineral water spas, the area became an urban district in 1894. [3] In its early years the new urban district council rented various offices around the town for its staff. [4] However, after the death of Bowen-Davies in April 1908, Brynarlais was marketed for sale and acquired by the urban district council in 1910. A council chamber and civic rooms were established in the extension at the back of the building. [1] [5]

A war memorial designed by Benjamin Lloyd, in the form of a soldier with his head bowed standing on a plinth, which was intended to commemorate the lives of local service personnel who had died in the First World War, was erected in a newly landscaped memorial garden in front of the original entrance to the town hall and unveiled by Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire, Lord Ormathwaite, in July 1922. [6] [7]

The building continued to serve as the offices of the urban district council for much of the 20th century, [8] but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged Radnorshire District Council was formed in 1974. [9] Instead, it accommodated the offices of several local businesses as well as the offices of Llandrindod Wells Town Council. [10] A tourist information centre was also established in the building. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radnorshire</span> Historic county of Wales

Radnorshire was an administrative county in mid Wales, later classed as one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales and from 1974 to 1996 a district. It covered a sparsely populated area, and was bounded to the north by Montgomeryshire and Shropshire, to the east by Herefordshire, to the south by Brecknockshire and to the west by Cardiganshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llandrindod Wells</span> Town in Powys, Wales

Llandrindod Wells is a town and community in Powys, Wales. It serves as the seat of Powys County Council, and is therefore the administrative centre of Powys. The town was historically in Radnorshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powys County Council</span> Local government of Powys, Wales

Powys County Council is the local authority for Powys, one of the 22 principal areas of Wales. The council is based at County Hall in Llandrindod Wells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen W. Williams</span> Architect and civil engineer (1837–1899)

Stephen W Williams or Stephen Williams (1837–1899) was a civil engineer and architect who worked mainly in Radnorshire and Breconshire, Wales. He was county surveyor of Radnorshire from 1864 to 1899. He had offices at Rhayader and lived at Penralley House, Rhayader, He became a noted authority on the archaeology of the Cistercian Monasteries in Wales and undertook excavations at Strata Florida Abbey in Ceredigion, Abbey Cwm Hir in Radnorshire and Strata Marcella near Welshpool in Montgomeryshire. He was appointed High Sheriff of Radnorshire in 1899.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowen Post Office</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Bowen Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 46 Herbert Street, Bowen, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by the Commonwealth Department of the Interior and constructed in 1936. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire Hall, Presteigne</span> County building in Presteigne, Wales

The Shire Hall is a municipal structure in Broad Street, Presteigne, Powys, Wales. The building incorporates a well-preserved courtroom and a museum known as "the Judge's Lodging". Once the judicial centre for Radnorshire, is a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chudleigh Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Chudleigh, Devon, England

Chudleigh Town Hall is a municipal building in Market Way, Chudleigh, Devon, England. The town hall, which is the meeting place of Chudleigh Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaton Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Seaton, Devon, England

Seaton Town Hall was a municipal building in Fore Street, Seaton, Devon, England. The former Town Hall, which was the meeting place of Seaton Urban District Council, currently hosts The Gateway Theatre, providing live music, theatre, cultural and community events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lytham St Annes Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England

Lytham St Annes Town Hall is a municipal building on the South Promenade in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England. The structure, which is used as the headquarters of Fylde Borough Council, is a locally listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeovil Town House</span> Municipal building in Yeovil, Somerset, England

The Town House is a municipal building in Union Street in Yeovil, Somerset, England. The building, which is the meeting place of Yeovil Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neuadd Maldwyn</span> County Building in Welshpool, Wales

The Montgomeryshire County Offices is a municipal building in Severn Street, Welshpool, Powys, Wales. The structure, which was the headquarters of Montgomeryshire County Council, is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llandrindod Wells Library</span> County Building in Llandrindod Wells, Wales

Llandrindod Wells Library, is located in The Gwalia, which is a municipal building on Ithon Road, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales. The structure, which was the headquarters of Radnorshire District Council, is now a customer service point for Powys County Council, and also features a public library. The building is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal Offices, High Wycombe</span> Municipal building in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England

The Municipal Offices are located on Queen Victoria Road in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. The structure is used as the High Wycombe local area office of Buckinghamshire Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crickhowell Market Hall</span> Municipal Building in Crickhowell, Wales

Crickhowell Market Hall, formerly Crickhowell Town Hall, is a municipal building in the High Street, Crickhowell, Powys, Wales. The structure, which accommodates market stalls on the ground floor and a café on the first floor, is a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Town Hall, Lisburn</span> Municipal Building in Lisburn, Northern Ireland

The Old Town Hall is a municipal structure in Castle Street, Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The structure, which is used as a constituency office by the Democratic Unionist Party, is a Grade B2 listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinross Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Kinross, Scotland

Kinross Town Hall forms part of a complex of municipal buildings in the High Street, Kinross, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The town hall, which has been converted for residential use, is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denny Town House</span> Municipal building in Denny, Scotland

Denny Town House is a municipal building in Glasgow Road, Denny, Falkirk, Scotland. The structure is used by Falkirk Council for the provision of local services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navan Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Navan, County Meath, Ireland

Navan Town Hall is a municipal building in Abbey Road, Navan, County Meath, Ireland. The building, which was commissioned to serve as the local bridewell, became the police barracks, and later became the local seat of government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athy Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Athy, County Kildare, Ireland

Athy Town Hall is a municipal building in Emily Street, Athy, County Kildare, Ireland. The building accommodated the offices of Athy Urban District Council until 1985, but is now used as a heritage centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitefield Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, England

Whitefield Town Hall was a municipal building off Pinfold Lane, Whitefield, a town in Greater Manchester in England. The building, which served as the offices and meeting place of Whitefield Urban District Council, was demolished in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Cadw. "Brynarlais (87569)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  2. ↑ "Dr William Bowen Davies: Chapter IV of the Town Guide to Llandrindod Wells". 1890. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  3. ↑ "Llandrindod Wells UD". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  4. ↑ "Former home of spa pioneer, Llandrindod Wells". History Points. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  5. ↑ "Exploring Llandrindod Wells Today". Llandrindod Wells Town Guide. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  6. ↑ "Llandrindod Wells WW1 and WW2". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  7. ↑ "Llandrindod Wells war memorial". History Points. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  8. ↑ "No. 45810". The London Gazette . 24 October 1972. p. 12537.
  9. ↑ Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70. The Stationery Office Ltd. 1997. ISBN   0-10-547072-4.
  10. ↑ "Contact the Town Council". Llandrindod Wells Town Council. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  11. ↑ Aitken, Tom; Buss, Wojtek (2008). One Hundred and One Beautiful Towns in Great Britain. Random House. p. 232. ISBN   978-0-8478-3050-3.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.