History in Structure

The Flag Ship Building

A Grade II Listed Building in St. Thomas, Swansea

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.6197 / 51°37'11"N

Longitude: -3.932 / 3°55'55"W

OS Eastings: 266342

OS Northings: 192979

OS Grid: SS663929

Mapcode National: GBR WTR.WJ

Mapcode Global: VH4K9.SKN5

Plus Code: 9C3RJ399+V5

Entry Name: The Flag Ship Building

Listing Date: 4 December 1989

Last Amended: 9 February 2004

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 11728

Building Class: Maritime

ID on this website: 300011728

Location: Situated high above the E bank of the River Tawe close to the Prince of Wales Dock.

County: Swansea

Town: Swansea

Community: St. Thomas

Community: Waterfront / Y Glannau

Locality: Swansea Docks

Built-Up Area: Swansea

Traditional County: Glamorgan

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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History

Industrial building of late C19 probably begun c1880 as an ice-factory. The 1897 O.S. map shows only the engine-house S of the chimney and the E end of the tall range to N, probably enlarged to its present size soon after. However there is no structural joint between the N and S ranges on the W end. Part of range probably used for cold storage of fish. Altered to a ships chandlery in 1926, when the lean-to on the E front may have been added. In 2003 proposed for retention with J Shed and relocated Norwegian Church in Welsh Development Agency scheme for whole area called Port Tawe Innovation Village.

Exterior

Industrial building, red brick with slate roofs. Two parallel ranges, the taller one to the N, the lower S one also shorter as backing at E onto square base of a brick octagonal chimney. N range has gables each end, that to E obscured by early C20 brick lean-to. The W gables to the river of hard red brick with yellow brick dressings. Coped gable to left of N range and lower stepped coped gable of S range. End of N range has first floor recess with moulded brick head, containing yellow-brick roundel over arched windows with yellow brick heads and impost band. Yellow brick sill course below broken by yellow brick arched head of a small opening at mid-height below. Ground floor has cambered heads to broad entry to left and arch headed window right, both with yellow brick heads and band at impost level. The lower S range has roof with long raised clerestory light along ridge. Similar gable end with continuous brickwork, similar cambered-headed broad entry to centre, the impost band continued from left range, and similar roundel at first floor. Coped gable with apex stepped up (to terminate the clerestory light) on short yellow brick piers on corbels. S side of lower range had a lean-to, removed to expose wall of rough red brick infill between iron posts and beams. Seven bays overall. The chimney to E is on square base with stone cornice. The former engine house parallel to chimney to S has similar detail and clerestory to roof. End walls have stepped gable, S side has rough brick between iron piers in 3 bays. E end has yellow-brick cambered head to broad entry and impost band.
The N side of N range is of rough brick with loading doors in ground floor, upper part set back in panels. Some inserted windows. E end gable obscured by 2-storey added lean-to, roughly built.

Interior

The freezing floor is said to be below the modern floor.

Reasons for Listing

Included as one of the last surviving C19 industrial buildings in Swansea Docks and said to be the last surviving ice-factory at a dockside in Wales. Of group value with J-Shed opposite.

External Links

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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