Coleg Harlech including Terrace Revetment Walls to the W, Harlech, Gwynedd

History

The Coleg Harlech building originated as Plas Wernfawr and was built by the millionaire aesthete and philanthropist George Davidson in 1908 to designs by the Scottish Arts and Crafts architect George Walton; a Great Hall wing, added in 1910, was destroyed by fire in May 1968. The total building costs were reputed to have been around £80,000.

Davidson had settled in Harlech at the turn of the century, initially living at nearby Plas Amhurst before building Plas Wernfawr. He moved in intellectual and avant-garde artistic circles, and soon Plas Wernfawr became the focus of a community of like-minded friends several of whom settled and built their own houses. Amongst these were the composer Sir Greville Bartock, A P Graves (the War poet Robert Graves' father), and the eminent American photographer Alvin Langdon Coburn. Various members of the Fabian Society were associated with the Harlech group, most notably Sir George Bernard Shaw, who was a frequent visitor.
In addition to Plas Wernfawr, Davidson built the nearby St David's Hotel in 1910, also to designs by Walton; this was gutted by fire in 1922 and was subsequently rebuilt.

In 1925 Davidson decided to relocate to the south of France. Although valued at well over £60,000, Davidson agreed to sell the house for £7,500 to Henry Gethin Lewis, who donated and endowed the building for use as the new Coleg Harlech. The 'College of the Second Chance' was the brain-child of Dr Thomas Jones, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet under Lloyd George and was opened in 1927; the first Warden was Sir Ben Bowen Thomas. A new library wing was added c1939 to designs by the architect Griffith Morris of Porthmadog.

The Harlech Theatre was erected on the site of the Great Hall in 1973 following the latter's destruction. It was designed by Colwyn Foulkes and Partners.

Exterior

College complex consisting of the former Plas Wernfawr with later library wing adjoining via a link block to the L. The main (former house) section is in Arts and Crafts Georgian style: it is of 2 principal storeys and is constructed of slatestone with squared, snecked, quarry-dressed facings; tooled granite dressings and chamfered plinth to ground-floor sill height. Slate roof with tiled ridge and shallow gabled sides with slab-coped parapets; plain capped end chimneys, with single off-centre chimneys to front and rear elevations.

The front (E) elevation is symmetrical and of 9 bays with a large broad pediment surmounting the central 7 bays; this has a dentilated stringcourse and a central oculus with small, square flanking lights. Central entrance with 3 approaching parapeted steps; leaded wooden semi-circular porch canopy over the entrance; 8-panel double doors. Recessed, unhorned sash windows with thick glazing bars, 18-pane to the ground floor and 12-pane to the first floor, the latter with projecting granite sills. The original lead hoppers are retained to the R and L; these have (in raised letters and figures): 'Plas Wernfawr.' (L) and '1908' (R).

The rear elevation of this primary range is similar to the front, except that here there is a large semi-circular bow occupying the 3 right-hand bays of the ground floor; this with plain parapet and flat roof, and 5 sashes, as before. Square leaded canopy porch to the entrance, supported on simple decorative Arts and Crafts bracketed metal supports; 20-pane glazed French doors. Seven steps descend from this down to a broad terrace. Similar hoppers survive on this facade, that on the L with the initials 'GD' (for George Davidson) and on the R 'George Walton, Architect.' A 3-bay single-storey link block adjoins this elevation to the L with a further 3-bay section advanced beyond this. These are 1910 additions and formerly connected with the (now lost) Great Hall; they now abut the theatre. Each section has arched transmullioned windows with small-pane glazing; plain basement lights below.

Adjoining the entrance facade flush to the L is a 1930s link block connecting the former Plas Wernfawr with the later library wing. The link block is of rock-faced limestone and copies the style of the earlier work. The first floor has 3 pairs of 12-pane sashes. The ground floor has a single-storey advanced section returning at the R in a rounded entrance porch with concrete canopy and recessed double doors; four plain 2-pane sashes to the L (serving WCs internally). The library wing itself is of similar construction and detail and is advanced in front of the link block. It consists of a large, 2-storey rectangular block with shallow gabled, parapeted ends and a semi-circular projection to the L (SW gable); squat end chimney to the R. High chamfered plinth and dentilated stringcourse above narrow full-height windows, 4 each to the sides and 5 to the bowed end; square quarry glazing and wooden opening sections. The SW gable has a circular oculus in the apex, above the bow.

The rear facade of the primary range gives access to a large rectangular terrace with paved paths and grassed squares. The terrace has rubble revettments with chamfered, rock-faced granite copings, approximately 1m high on the terrace side and with a 5m fall on the down-hill side. The terrace has a central bowed recess and similar bows extruded at the returns to R and L.

Theatr Ardudwy is attached to the main building via the additions of 1910. Steel frame and concrete, with copper sheet cladding to auditorium, the materials and modular elements of the structure strongly expressed according to Brutalist principles. The design is dominated by the part circular, part hexagonal auditorium, beneath which shelter two tiers of meeting rooms with continuous bands of aluminium framed windows and rough concrete panels.

Interior

The primary range has an entrance hall with grey figured marble floor having black marble banding. The walls have large-field panelling treatment in cement, with heavy moulded cornicing. To the L of the entrance is a triple-arched niche arrangement with a small fireplace to the central one; simple brass grate. A staircase leads off to the R; of oak and of well-type, though partly obscured, with columnar newels and balusters and a shallow convex rail. Balustraded rail to first floor gallery, with a similar straight flight leading to a mezzanine gallery at the L end; this with arched entrance, The first-floor stairhead has a tall groin-vaulted ceiling with high occuli at the ends. The main rooms have moulded 8-panel doors. The ground floor Staff Room has figurative wall paintings to all four walls. Leading off to the R is a 3-bay rectangular room with round-arched bay divisions; fitted bookcases and window seats, with further, glazed bookcases to the opposite wall. Above these are blind, round-arched niches, that to the centre with finely-carved oak memorial panel to Elphin Lloyd Jones, son of the founder. This has Arts and Crafts carving, including foliate and zoomorphic detail as well as linenfold; central gilded and carved cartouche with initials and raised inscription band below.

The library wing has a counter-changed figured grey and off-white marble floor to the entrance hall, with marginal banding. 6-panel oak doors, vertically-panelled; plain oak architraves. Double-doors to the library proper, with decoratively-leaded circular lights to the upper sections and fish-scale glazing to a rectangular overlight. Restrained Art Deco interior with shallow segmental ceiling having broad moulded ribs dividing the main area into 4 bays; 3-bay ceiling to the bowed end bay, longitudinally divided. The library has a gallery running around the 4 sides and an open central space. The gallery has Art Deco style blackened metal railings with brass rail; modern uplighters. Original fitted oak bookshelves throughout, with simple contemporary oak desks and splat-back chairs. The gallery is accessed via a stair to the L of the entrance. In the centre of the end bow is a leaded glazed panel depicting a personification of Flora.

In the theatre, the circular foyer is the centrepiece of the upper ground floor; above it is the stage level of the theatre, from which rises the raked seating. The building retains original detail including terrazzo tiled flooring and timber-slatted ceilings.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* for its special interest as a fine early C20 Arts and Crafts house designed by the architect George Walton, with 1930s additions and alterations for Coleg Harlech by Griffith Morris, architect of Porthmadog. The former home of the millionaire philanthropist and aesthete George Davidson; since 1927 Coleg Harlech.

The theatre is a striking and unusual example of architectural Brutalism, using form and structure to give clear expression of purpose.

External Links

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