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Latitude: 51.6275 / 51°37'38"N
Longitude: -3.9413 / 3°56'28"W
OS Eastings: 265726
OS Northings: 193860
OS Grid: SS657938
Mapcode National: GBR WSB.9N
Mapcode Global: VH4K9.MCS6
Plus Code: 9C3RJ3G5+XF
Entry Name: Palace Theatre
Listing Date: 3 November 1980
Last Amended: 30 March 1987
Grade: II
Source: Cadw
Source ID: 11585
Building Class: Recreational
Also known as: Pavilion Theatre of Varieties
Empire
Palace Theatre of Varieties
Swansea Popular Picture Hall
New Palace Cinema
ID on this website: 300011585
Location: Occupying a triangular site bounded by High Street, Bethesda Street and Prince of Wales Road.
County: Swansea
Town: Swansea
Community: Castle (Castell)
Community: Castle
Built-Up Area: Swansea
Traditional County: Glamorgan
Tagged with: Theatre Cinema Nightclub Bingo hall
1888. By Bucknall and Jennings, architects of Swansea. Opened as Swansea Pavilion and later The Empire Music Hall. Converted to cinema 1908 (People’s Bioscope Palace).
Tall 3 storey Baroque block, red brick with Bath stone dressings, slate roofs, 4-storey circular tower at apex (stage end) now without dome, square towers with curved pavilion roofs to 5-storey Bethesda front. Circled S angle has top storey with attached Ionic columns to aedicules, linked entablatures and pedestals supported by triglyph cornice, banded facings. Linked 1st and 2nd floor corner windows under open pediment with carved surround to oculus, volute brackets and keyblock to main stringcourse over keyblocked and rusticated doorpiece.
71/2-bay High Street elevation with parapets over main cornice with triglyph frieze, giant Doric pilasters (banded to outer bays), ashlar facings to linked window surrounds, pediments, keyblocks; swagged apron to right, oculus to left. Cornice over banded ground floor with rusticated arched window and door openings.
9 bay elevation to Prince of Wales Road has similar detailing, but with tower bay splashed back above openwork parapet and urn.
Brick Bethesda Street front has twin pavilions, Ionic pilasters, pediments and ornamental French platform roofs.
First-floor auditorium known to retain two steeply raked balconies curving round close to proscenium without stage boxes. Balcony fronts in form of open ironwork balustrades, small wedge-shaped stage and small proscenium.
The Palace Theatre is of special architectural interest as one of the earliest large Victorian urban theatres in Wales in a striking neo-baroque style, retaining a good interior at the time of listing. It is of special historic interest for its contribution to the cultural life of Swansea.
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.
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