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Text:
THE town of Newport, in Monmouthshire, has lately obtained a great accommodation
from the opening of the Victoria Hall and Assembly Rooms, built and
fitted up, at a cost of £12,000, by Mr. Henry Pearce Bolt. We
give an Illustration of this building, which measures externally 63
ft. by 144 ft., and is 67 ft. in height. It presents a very handsome
side facade to Bridge- street; and fronts Station - street, with a noble
portico carried up to the external height of the building, and supported
on six Corinthian columns, with well-carved capitals, surmounted by
a prominent and admirably-executed figure of her Majesty, with leonine
supports. The whole is in freestone, the details and carving being very
carefully and artistically worked - and this fact is especially noticeable,
as a saving of several thousand pounds would have been effected had
plaster mouldings been substituted for freestone. The front elevation
has five and the side ten bays, containing circular-headed windows,
enriched with architraves, imports, and carved keystones. The basement
consists of massive arched brick cellars; and on the ground floor is
a large room now used for the County Court and other purposes, a number
of offices, well - arranged Turkish, Warm, and swimming baths, a gymnasium,
and also a reading-room for the use of visitors to the baths. Above
these is the Assembly Room, which is of noble proportions. Its length
is 77 ft. and breadth 56 ft. A gallery, constructed to hold a very large
number of persons, runs round three sides of the hall, having four rows
of seats on each side and twelve at the semicircular end. The gallery
front is of very elegant design; its ironwork, together with the columns
supporting it, was cast at the Emlyn foundry, in a very satisfactory
manner. The ceiling, which is 42 ft. from the floor, has been cored
and enriched with cornices and trusses, and so designed as to render
the acoustic properties perfect. The stage (43 ft. by 30 ft.) opens
to the hall by a proscenium formed by an elliptical cornice and enriched
frieze, supported on each side by handsome composite pilasters. At the
other end of the hall is a commodious, lofty refreshment-room, and on
one side are several small retiring-rooms. The architects are Messrs.
Habershon and Pite, of London, represented by Mr. Fawckner; and the
builder is the enterprising proprietor, Mr. Bolt, aided by local workmanship.
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