21620

 

II  

Designated  

31/03/1999  

31/03/1999  

Former Mynyddislwyn Urban District Council Offices  

 

Caerphilly  

Pontllanfraith  

 

Pontllanfraith  

317727  

195563  

W  

In the centre of Pontllanfraith, facing the site of the former railway station and dismantled railway; standing on a walled and railed terrace a little above the roadway with steps to right and vehicular access to left.  

Institutional  

 

Built 1913. The building was extended in 1930s. Interior retains boards relating to Risca Urban District Council from 1894. Early photograph shows a cupola.  

Purpose-built council offices in Edwardian Baroque style. Main block with parallel cross wings to rear, extended. Of rock-faced and dressed stone, roughcast to side, with Welsh slate roof and terracotta ridge tiles. Symmetrical 2 storey frontage. Windows are multipane with elaborate ashlar surrounds; moulded hoods, eared architraves and aprons to first floor and segmental-arched with prominent voussoirs, keystone and surrounds and shallow bracketed sills to ground floor. To first floor 2 windows either side of a central bay which is edged by pilasters and has an arched doorway leading onto a small curved balcony; the door has glazed roundels and multipane overlight. Above is a bracketed moulded parapet with inscription between cornice and coping, decoratively stepped up to centre to enclose a large datestone. A moulded stringcourse dividing the storeys extends across the frontage from the balcony which is supported by a deep bracket taking the place of the keystone to the high arched ground floor doorway this has very decoratively panelled recessed double doors and multipane overlight; dedication stones below. To side right similar mutipane window. Beyond later extension is a separate rendered block, possibly a generator house.  

Interior has central corridor with rooms off either side; terrazzo floor and dado of green and cream decorative tiles in panels; basket arches to ceiling panels with decorative plaster corbels. Staircase to rear with wrought iron balusters. Large first floor council chamber across frontage with arch-braced roof and dado panelling, access to balcony.  

Listed as unusually decorative purpose-built council offices from the time when coal-mining in this area was at its peak.