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Latitude: 51.7735 / 51°46'24"N
Longitude: -3.2078 / 3°12'27"W
OS Eastings: 316764
OS Northings: 209007
OS Grid: SO167090
Mapcode National: GBR YX.ZJXY
Mapcode Global: VH6CV.CP18
Plus Code: 9C3RQQFR+CV
Entry Name: Ebbw Vale Adult Education Centre
Listing Date: 29 October 1999
Last Amended: 29 October 1999
Grade: II
Source: Cadw
Source ID: 22527
Building Class: Education
ID on this website: 300022527
Location: Occupies wide frontage on W side of Church Street, opposite Penuel Chapel. Set behind shallow forecourt.
County: Blaenau Gwent
Community: Ebbw Vale South (De Glynebwy)
Community: Ebbw Vale
Built-Up Area: Ebbw Vale
Traditional County: Monmouthshire
Tagged with: Architectural structure
Built 1853-55 as the Literary and Scientific Institute, by the Ebbw Vale Iron Company. An institute was set up in 1849 in the vestry of Penuel Chapel, which soon became inconveniently small. The group set about raising funds for a new building, and in July 1852, Thomas Brown, ironmaster of Ebbw Vale, agreed to provide a site and building. The building cost £3000, and included a lecture hall, reading room, library, museum, and three classrooms. By 1878, membership had risen to 200, and a new wing was added in 1884, containing a laboratory. Possibly this refers to the S end. In 1904, a new lecture theatre was added to the rear. By 1931, the steelworks had ceased to fund the institute, and the upper floor was leased to the county council. Now used as an Adult Education Centre.
Rubble construction, slate roofs. The chimneys have been removed, but illustrations show original shafted flues set on broad plinths. Very long facade of eleven bays and two storeys. Central five projecting bays are higher, with decorative bargeboards to wide gable each side of narrow entrance bay. Windows with stone voussoired cambered heads: all glazing replaced in plastic. The floor levels of the S three bays is slightly lower, suggesting that they are later additions. Small attic windows to gables, blocked to left. Central round-arched door with radiating fanlight. Left elevation, including rear wing, is rendered. Rear hall set parallel to central bays has slightly higher ridge-line and tall full-height windows. Between fourth and fifth bays to right is reset small cast-iron drinking fountain dated 1886 to back-plate: projecting semi-circular fluted pedestal with spout below decorative terminal.
Little original detail inside. Rear lecture hall has flat boarded ceiling divided into panels by heavy moulded ribs.
Despite modernisations, listed as a rare survival of a later C19 literary and scientific institute, which, like the parish church nearby, was provided by the Ebbw Vale Iron Company.
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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