
Old College, Aberystwyth
The Evolution of a High Victorian Building
Roger Webster(Author)
University of Wales Press
Published on 28. July 1995
Book
Paperback/Softback
98 pages
978-0-7083-1286-5 (ISBN)
Description
Old College, Aberystwyth, is one of Britain's most significant nineteenth century buildings, its development reflecting the evolution of architectural styles from the Picturesque Gothic of the 1790s to the Queen Anne Revival of the 1890s. The present building has its origins in Castle House, John Nash's first excursion into Gothic, designed to the specifications of Sir Uvadale Price, the leader of the late-18th-century Picturesque movement. In the 1860s, wings were added to the north and south of the house, with the intention of creating one of the most opulent hotels of the Railway Age. The bankruptcy of Thomas Savin, the Hotel's owner, in 1866 resulted in the Hotel being abandoned. The uncompleted building was then bought by the founders of the University College of Wales, and John Pollard Seddon was invited to adapt it for its new purposes. This study of a key Victorian building places Nash's Castle House in the context of the Picturesque Movement and provides an account of Seddon's ideas and architectural development. There is an assessment of the architecture of the Hotel, and also of Seddon's difficult relationships with his flamboyant entrepreneurial client and with the Council of the University College. This book, illustrated with photographs, plans and elevations, is intended to be of use not only to architectural historians, but also to all those concerned with Victorian studies, with the development of Welsh national consciousness and with the built environment of Wales. It should be of especial interest to the many former students who studied in the building.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Wales
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
Not illustrated
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 195 mm
Thickness: 5 mm
Weight
331 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7083-1286-5 (9780708312865)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Castle House; John Pollard Seddon and the Gothic revival; the Castle House Hotel; the University College of Wales; C.J. Ferguson and the completion of the college.