Mechanics Institute

The Mechanics Institute is a building designed by Alfred Russel Wallace, who lived in Neath from 1841 to 1848. The structure features twelve-pane horned sash windows on the first floor, with scribed panels on the architraves and bracketed sills. The ground floor has slightly deeper twelve-pane sashes, and the windows are framed by rusticated architraves topped with triangular pediments, with sills resting on a plinth.

On the ground floor, there is a round-arched doorway to the left, which has a rusticated architrave and a triangular pediment also resting on a plinth. The doorway includes inset steps leading to a modern panelled door and a segmental fanlight above. A deep round-arched stair window is located on the left end elevation. At the rear, there are twelve-pane sash windows on the first floor and a cut doorway to the basement on the right.

A plaque is situated between the two middle ground floor bays on the front elevation, inscribed with the following text: "Alfred Russel Wallace 1823-1913. Designed this building. He lived in Neath from 1841-1848 during which period he worked as a surveyor and studied Natural History. In his lifetime he collaborated with Charles Darwin in the Study of the Law of Natural Selection and with him presented the first Paper on the Subject in 1858."