Ebbw Vale Institute
This building was erected in the 1850s for the town’s Literary & Scientific Institution. It’s now a venue for education, creativity and development of social enterprises.
The institution began in a chapel in the late 1840s but soon needed larger premises, so Thomas Brown, managing partner of the Ebbw Vale Iron Company, gave land and money for a new building. In January 1854 it was reported that “a most eligible building” was being erected which would enable the institution to begin “classes for mutual improvement”.
The new building included a reading room, library, lecture hall and museum. Artist John Knight’s full-length portrait of Thomas Brown for the reading room was displayed at the Royal Academy in London in 1861. The building was extended in later decades, including provision of a laboratory in the 1880s.
Early lecture topics here in 1855 included the Crimean war, arctic exploration and the life of Benjamin Franklin. The lecture hall was “crammed” in September 1855 for a talk by Clara Balfour, a prolific story writer for adults and children and a campaigner for temperance and women’s education.
Astronomy was a popular scientific subject here. Concerts and “penny readings” were often sold out.
In 1855 the town’s post office was moved from Briery Hill to the institution building, where the librarian, John Williams, was appointed sub-postmaster. Magistrates dealt with wrong-doers here before a purpose-built court was opened in Bethcar Street in 1899.
The institution sometimes hired trains for large groups of members to visit historic places. In August 1866 the institution’s “annual treat” involved c.500 people walking and riding to the top of Domen Fawr for a picnic, games, athletics and dancing.
Membership declined after the First World War and the building eventually passed to the local authority. It was used for adult education and other purposes. In 2009 the building was refurbished for new community uses – follow the link below for details.
Postcode: NP23 6BE View Location Map
Ebbw Vale Institute website – details of events and facilities