Glamorgan Building
History
Design and construction
Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, it became necessary to find a meeting place for Glamorgan County Council. Initially the county council used offices in Westgate Street and St Mary Street. After finding this arrangement inadequate, county leaders decided to procure a purpose-built facility: the site they selected at Cathays Park was acquired from the Marquess of Bute in 1898.
Construction of the new building started in 1909. It was designed by Vincent Harris and Thomas Anderson Moodie in the Beaux-Arts classical style following a design competition and was built by Turner & Sons of Cardiff at a cost of £67,724. It was officially opened by the Chairman of the County Council, J. Blandy Jenkins, as Glamorgan County Hall on 19 September 1912. The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of seven bays facing King Edward VII Avenue; the central section of five bays featured a large portico with a deeply recessed entrance flanked by a series of pared Corinthian order columns. Internally, the principal room was the council chamber.
Serving as reminders of Glamorgan's source of wealth, two groups of statues by Albert Hodge, one representing navigation and the other coal mining, were unveiled outside the building.