St Josephs Orphanage

St Joseph's Orphanage, now a nursing home, was built in 1872 by R.W. Hughes for Mrs. Maria Holland. It is constructed of red brick in English bond, with blue brick and sandstone ashlar dressings, and features a Welsh slate roof. The building has an L-plan layout, with the main range oriented east-west and a long chapel wing projecting to the east, including a porch tower at the corner.

Designed in the High Victorian Gothic style, the orphanage is two storeys high, with basements and attics. The tower features the main entrance at its base, which is framed by a 2-centred moulded stone arch beneath a blue-red brick relieving arch. It has a panelled door with an overlight (plain glass replacing the original stained glass), a buttress to the right, and a plaque above the door that reads "St Joseph's Orphanage / Erected and endowed by / Mrs Maria Holland / 1872". There are two lancet windows below the belfry stage, which has offset angle buttresses and louvred 2-light openings with colonettes and a 2-centred relieving arch, topped by a two-stage pyramidal spire with mid-height windows.

The main range features a gabled centre that projects forward, with a ground floor lit by transomed windows beneath a band of cross motifs. There are two pairs of arched windows at the first floor, each with a recessed oculus beneath a relieving arch and an oculus above with a hoodmould. The outer bays have 2-centred arches for the ground floor windows, and small segmental-headed windows beneath decorated brick eaves. The chapel wing on the left has large arched 2-light windows with original patterned glazing, one of which contains stained glass. The symmetrical rear elevation is in a similar style, with gabled ends and a central feature that includes a statue in a canopied niche. Hospital wings were added to the east end and are attached to the west end.