24526

 

II  

Designated  

19/01/2001  

19/01/2001  

Llanwrtyd War Memorial Institute  

 

Powys  

Llanwrtyd Wells  

Builth Wells  

Llanwrtyd Wells  

287908  

246688  

S  

Located near the centre of the town and fronting the road. One of a pair of houses, that to the W modernised.  

Commemorative  

 

The Llanwrtyd War Memorial Institute was opened and dedicated in November 1928, making use of an existing building. The opening address was delivered by Rev Rees Evans, Calvinistic Methodist minister of Bethel Chapel. He had given £1,000 towards the institute, the remaining funds coming from local appeals. The memorial itself is within the entrance lobby of the building.  

Symmetrical 3-storey front in free classical style. Rendered under a slate roof with partly rendered brick end stacks, that to the R shared with the adjoining building. Detail includes boarded eaves with small modillions, rusticated quoin strips, and a sill band at 1st floor level with rusticated banding below. The windows are horned tripartite sashes with flat heads and stone sills, those to the 1st and 2nd storeys in moulded architraves. The ground floor is 3-bay and has a central doorcase with pilasters, the capitals with egg & dart moulding, supporting an entablature which reads 'Llanwrtyd War Memorial'. Recessed panelled door and panelled reveals. To each side of the entrance are moulded frames for the insertion of notices. Flanking these are triple tripartite sash windows. Above the entrance on the 1st floor are 2 Ionic pilasters supporting a broken triangular pediment with dentils. Breaking the pediment is a small round-arched recess. This is above a moulded frame which has a decorative scroll at the base of each side. Inside the frame is an inscription, 'Yn Anghof Ni Chant Fod/1914/1918'. A tablet reading 1939-45 is attached to the bottom of the frame. Flanking this feature are oculi with moulded surrounds and voluted keystones framed by festoons. To the outer side of each oculus is a tripartite sash window. Four windows to 2nd floor (the 1st floor would have been the same originally). The E gable end is of rubble stone with a tripartite sash window to the ground floor. Late C20 glazed doors to 1st and 2nd floors in brick surrounds and with segmental heads. These are attached to a metal fire-escape staircase. To the W is an adjoining building, now modernised. The rear elevation has an additional basement storey and little architectural detail. Central planked door with top-light flanked by late C20 windows, with a small light to the far L. Above is a triple tripartite sash to the L and single sashes to the centre and R. Narrow central light to 1st floor with flanking tripartite sashes, and 3 tripartite sashes to 2nd floor.  

Inside the front entrance is a small lobby with panelled doors to L and R. Straight ahead are 3 brass plaques in wooden frames fixed to the wall. That to the top commemorates those who fell in World War I (1914-18), whilst that to the lower L is to those of the town who died in World War II (1939-45). The plaque to the lower R is to the former pupils of Bromsgrove School (evacuated here during WWII) who later died in action. Below the plaques is a wooden trough for memorial crosses, reading 'We will remember them'. The panelled door to the R leads to a games room. That to the L opens onto a small lobby with panelled door to police station straight ahead and stairs to the R leading to the council chamber and committee rooms. The council chamber to the front has stained glass to the oculi, each bearing a crown and cross. No other detail except for a picture rail. A larger room towards to W has an infilled fireplace and picture rail. A caretaker's flat is at the top of the building.  

Listed for its special interest as a rare form of war memorial which is almost entirely unaltered, and for its historic interest.