Former Caerleon Teacher Training College Building

Former Caerleon Teacher Training College Building

A college building in mixed Revival style, constructed from Old Red Sandstone rubble with Bath stone dressings and slate roofs topped with modillion eaves cornices and stone chimney stacks.

The long three-storey main elevation is articulated as three separate sections: a central administration block flanked by a teaching block to the left and a kitchen and service block to the right. The detailing is subtly varied to reflect the different functions of each area.

The administration block forms a balanced asymmetrical composition, dominated by an entrance bay and clock tower built in ashlar. The entrance is advanced beneath a shallow arched canopy and features a two-storey oriel window with cartouches in the aprons. The eaves cornice of the flanking ranges forms a swan neck pediment framing a window in the base of the tower, which steps back in two stages. The clock occupies an elongated second stage, above which is a high parapet with pierced balustrading. The entrance bay is flanked by ranges of five and nine windows respectively. Their rhythm is dominated by two-storey canted bay windows—one to the left and two to the right—built in ashlar with panelled aprons and heavily moulded cornices. Throughout are small-paned sash windows; ground floor windows are taller with a high-set transom and continuous sill band. Windows between the canted bays have stone architraves with hood-moulds to the ground floor.

The teaching block, advanced to the left, is built around a courtyard with a main elevation of 3-4-3 bays, the outer bays featuring shallow pedimented gables. Windows are similar to those in the entrance range, though the large ground floor windows, despite their height, lack transoms and have architraves with keyblocks. The central windows in the upper storey have shallow segmentally pedimented architraves with blank shields above. A nine-window return range extends to the side.

The kitchen and service range to the right comprises paired gables, each a three-window range, with pedimented architraves to the ground and second floors. The ground floor windows are segmental to central windows in the upper storey and are taller, with transoms.

The interior is entered through a central entrance and hall, with a long corridor extending the entire width of the building. Some alteration has been made to internal partitions, but the interior survives largely intact, retaining its original plan form and detail including doors and doorframes, wainscot panelling, skirting, and stairs to each block. Parquet flooring is present. The upper floors likewise survive largely intact though with simplified detail.

The central block contains offices, staff accommodation, and the assembly hall at the rear. The main entrance hall and assembly hall are the principal focal points, decorated with the greatest level of architectural ornament. The assembly hall features wall panelling and tall leaded windows, some with coloured glass depicting prominent Welsh figures.

Either side of the entrance hall are general offices and offices for the Principal and Vice Principal, together with communal rooms for students. The teaching wing is arranged around a courtyard at ground floor level, with classrooms and lecture rooms on the south side and laboratories on the north side. The kitchen wing comprises a large dining room on the south side with kitchens, store rooms, and servants hall behind.

On both the first and second floors, a long corridor extends the entire width of the building, with two main staircases located at the rear on either side of the main block. The upper floors are primarily used for study bedrooms, with some larger rooms containing sitting rooms and separate bedrooms, mostly located in the central wing where they benefit from the bay windows.