History

1839-40 former Cardigan Union Workhouse, by William Owen of Haverfordwest, probably to plans by G Wilkinson of Oxford, architect to the Poor Law Commissioners. Built for £3,250 for poor of 25 parishes in Cardiganshire and Pembrokeshire. There were some 130 inmates in 1870s.

Exterior

Extensive grouping of buildings designed as 3 parallel ranges connected by a central spine range, giving 4 open ended courtyards all overlooked by a single observation room at centre intersection, which has windows in canted angles. Two storeys, brown rubble stone with roofs of small slates and an extensive series of red brick Tudor style chimneys. Windows are long, small-paned casement pairs, with top-lights to ground floor, and with cambered cut stone voussoirs, bevelled reveals and slate sills. Front range is more formal, in blue lias ashlar, 2-storey, 6-window main range with single storey 3-window wings. Main range has centre 2 bays projected with 2 gables and incised cross loops in gables. Raised band and high plinth. Ground floor centre has 2 Tudor-arched doorways with ledged doors and one window between. Single storey wings have narrow single-light windows and plain doors.

Two courtyards behind front range are separated by 5-window spine range, canted one-window angles then 6-window wings. On east end of east wing are unaltered 1884 vagrant cells still with grading grilles and chutes for breaking stone. The 2 courtyards behind centre range were divided by a single storey bakehouse range (roofless 1991) connecting to rear range, part original, the short 2-storey centre range and the single storey east wing, part late C19 or early C20, the 2-storey west wing.

Interior

Rooms within principal area are large, lit from both sides, with stone access stairs, and the whole is remarkably little altered from its original design.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* as one of the least altered workhouses in Wales.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Albro Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17743787

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

• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)