Briton Ferry Library including attached Library House

Briton Ferry Library including attached Library House

This is a pavilion-style public library built in Bath stone with brick side walls and a slate roof with brick end stacks. The building comprises a main 2-storey, 5-bay front elevation with two attached wings.

The main front elevation is framed by Tuscan pilasters dividing the bays. The wide central bay features an elliptical arch in 3 orders, the outer order with capitals, leading to double panelled doors with raised fields. An overlight with geometrical tracery bears etched glass reading 'Public Library and offices'. A polished granite foundation stone is set on the right side of the doorway. The outer bays contain segmental-headed windows with sunk panels in the spandrels. A deep moulded string course separates the storeys. The upper storey has an oriel window with blind balustrade at the centre bay, while the outer bays have round-headed windows with panelled aprons and spandrels. A frieze of oversize nail-head ornament runs below the cornice and parapet. The parapet displays blind balusters over the outer bays, with the 3 central bays bearing an inscription in raised panels reading 'Public Library and Council Offices'. Rising behind the parapet is a centrally-placed square clock turret with splayed slate-hung base, round clock faces, and surmounted by an octagonal cupola with alternate louvred faces and an ogee dome. Windows have been replaced in their original openings.

The right-hand wing, known as Library Cottage, is a lower 1-bay, 2-storey gabled brick structure with slate roof and end brick stack. Its lower storey has a canted bay window (boarded up at the time of inspection), above which are a pair of round-headed windows with sash windows, stone dressings and sills, beneath a gablet. A doorway set back against the right gable end opens into a small gabled porch. The main library has a round-headed window to the upper right, with the stack projecting at gable level.

The left-hand wing, set against the left gable end of the main range, is a 1-storey brick projection with Bath-stone dressings and embattled parapet. Facing front are a large and a small window under lintels, replaced in earlier openings. The left side wall has 2 narrow windows. The main range stack is corbelled out at gable level above. The rear wall is roughcast. The upper storey of the main range contains 5 unevenly placed round-headed windows with sashes. The lower storey has a single-storey hipped-roof projection offset left of centre with 2 segmental-headed windows to its left.

Interior

An entrance vestibule has a decorative tile floor and double half-lit doors with raked boarding below diamond-quarry glazing, flanked by similar half-lit panels. The central stair hall features an elliptical arch above the foot of the stairs with panelled soffit and foliage responds, with a moulded cornice incorporating a billet frieze.

An open-well stair has turned balusters and newels with fret-cut scrolls to the tread ends. The doorways to the lending library on the right and children's library on the left have half-lit panelled double doors and a fluted surround with paterae at the angles below a moulded cornice incorporating a billet frieze. The lending library was originally 2 rooms, both retaining moulded cornices with billet friezes. Both rooms formerly had fireplaces in the gable end, now blocked.

A tall round-headed window with plain glazing lights the stair. The first-floor landing has a passage with doors leading to 2 rooms at the front, rooms at either end, and a single room to the rear. Doorcases survive although doors are replaced. The room to the left (north), the Council Chamber, retains original fittings and furniture including two fireplaces with stone surrounds in the gable wall, a pedestal with main desk for council officials, two curving desks with chairs, and built-in cupboards to the rear. The room to the right (south) retains a fireplace.