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Successful local businessman Mr W. E.
Williams commenced the building of the immense Angel Hotel, to
his own architectural design in 1873. Built on the site of the
old 'Angel Inn' retaining its license; it was described as 'A
uniquely strange Gothic castellated building.' The castellations
were formed by the regular pattern of the chimneys around the
building.
No contractor was used,
despite not having any experience in the building trade, he controlled and supervised the
project himself, even ordering and checking the supplies, until
his death in 1876. He left financial provision for the building
to be completed, and the project was continued by
trustees.
One of the consequences of his inexperience in architecture,
was the fact that there was no provision whatsoever for gas in the
building, this was added before completion at considerable extra
expense.
The hotel was originally intended to be the
Main Central Station Hotel for rail travellers, but the
Station at the lower end of the High Street gradually became
a goods depot and the main station was always higher up on the
High Street.
The American Cardinal Foley told a tale
that his grandfather used to say that he was 'born in the arms
of an Angel' and then laugh. It was later was discovered that
he was born in the Angel public house.
The Angel
Hotel, which had boasted the finest sprung dance floor in Wales, finally closed it's doors in 1933, and was
eventually demolished in 1957. |
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