History

The town hall was rebuilt in 1773 with a corn market beneath at the expense of the Lord of the Manor and Borough. The building formed the fourth side of a market square with stalls around the other sides. In 1896 the corn market on the lower floor was converted to a library and reading room. A C19 photograph shows the guildhall with a tall stepped side stack, now truncated.

Exterior

Four-window range with lower, narrower E unit and W porch. Single storey and basement. Rendered stone under slate roofs with stone stack to E end of main range. Gabled porch with W front of dressed stone. The entrance consists of an elliptical arch of voussoirs containing late C20 steel gates reached by 9 stone steps flanked by plain iron railings. String course above and moulded kneelers to raised gable. A slate plaque attached to the top of the arch reads 'Guildhall / Rebuilt 1773'. A carriage lamp is fixed to the apex. Inside the porch, double boarded doors lead into the hall, and fixed to the N wall is an old stone tablet with arched head, inscribed 'This market place was erected for the Right Hon. John Lord Cardiff under the direction of Mr William Dav...'. A small slate plaque on the S wall is to Sir David Evans 1847-1907, Lord Mayor of London 1891-2, born at Glanmychydd Farm, Llantrisant.

The N side has 6-over-6-pane horned sash windows under segmental heads with stone sills. Aligned beneath to the basement storey, are full-height round headed openings with raised surrounds. These contain 6-over-6-pane hornless sash windows with side lights, except for the R opening which has a planked door with overlight. The narrower unit to the L has a 6-over-6-pane sash to the upper storey, to light the clerk's office.

On the S side of the porch is a small rubble lean-to with boarded door. In the centre of the S wall of the hall is a projecting side stack, now truncated to eaves level. There are no window openings. The E unit has a planked door under a segmental head to the main storey, reached by an external stone staircase. The E gable end has a small blind window with flat head and stone sill. Below is a planked door under a segmental head and a blocked window opening, reached through a small roofless brick enclosure.

Interior

The main hall has a picture rail and C20 benches flanking a central aisle. Small clerk's office and toilet in rear E unit. No internal access to basement storey, which is entered through the external N doorway. It has 4 bays divided by pilasters and moulded cross beams. Small kitchen in E unit.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a carefully designed public building retaining its character and for its historical interest.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• The Guildhall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q29501044

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)