10847

 

II  

Designated  

10/01/1991  

10/01/1991  

Gadlys Higher Standard School (Original Ranges only)  

 

Rhondda Cynon Taff  

Aberdare East  

 

 

299935  

202832  

 

Below the road (set back behind playground). At the southern end of the Gadlys area of town. Site is bordered by high rubble revetment wall.  

Education  

 

Opened 7th October l907. Designed by Thomas Roderick, Architect of Aberdare and erected by Messrs Wills and Company, Ystrad. Cost úl4,000. At the opening ceremony it was declared to be "the finest piece of architecture in Aberdare".  

Free Jacobethan style with eastern influences to the dome; symmetrical school building, boys to left and girls to right - the two halves designed to be entirely self contained; as a result the composition lacks a main entrance. 1,2 and 3 storeys stepping down to either end. Dark, coursed and bull-nosed local stone with 'Red Wilderness' dressings including quoins, sill bands, plinth band and gable parapets with conical finials; slate roofs. The middle section is the tallest and is advanced including an octagonal tower with swept roof octagonal cupola crowned by iron weathervane. Blind roundel to front face; date plaque with rounded top below. Camber headed horned sash windows with voussoirs and keystones, 2-windows to the front on both floors. Lean-tos at either side with kneelers and side doors. The middle section is flanked by 3-bay blocks, the centres of which are set back; 3 Jacobethan type gables to each side, the central gables (to the Boys and Girls Halls) being taller. 3 blind arched openings to the upper parts of these gables; the halls have tall 3-light windows with labels and flanking circular windows; small pane glazing. 2 camber headed windows to flanking gables with horned l2-pane sashes; the inner of these gables have the boys and girls cambered doors with small pane tympani. The lines of these gables are continued downwards by set back lean-tos. Twin gables to the ends with similar detail and glazing. Gables also to the taller hall ranges which have split thermal windows. U-shaped yard to centre rear. Internally the main halls are bordered by classrooms with glazed sides so that the headmaster and headmistress could watch classes in progress. The outside windows are set high so that the children cannot look out. Reference: Aberdare Leader, 12th October 1907, p.3.  

Classroom interiors have canted boarded ceilings with circular ventilators.