The Former Women’s Training College was designed by the Swansea Education Boards in house architect, Mr Lawrence and constructed by the Lloyd Bros. of Swansea and officially opened in June 1913.

The building consists of three ranges. The front and central ranges are highly symmetrical and unified. These elements are built from rock-faced ashlar with rough tooled ashlar used for quoins and the thin buttresses, and fine tooled ashlar or smooth rendered cement used for detailing such as windowsills, frames, and lintels. The front elevation is in an Elizabethan style, with central and flanking towers and shaped gables. The rear range has a more rusticated style in squared rubble stone, with rough tooled ashlar for quoins and cement render for window details. To the rear, there are two octagonal towers in the north-east corner, which throw off the symmetry of the building. The central section has four large gables while the western has four gabled dormers. Again, these asymmetrical elements on a single elevation contrast with the uniformity of the front of the building.     

Four main phases to the building’s use have been identified. Phase One: The original Training College building, completed and opened in June 1913. Phase Two: The Construction of the north-western extension in the 1920s or 30s. Phase Three: Mid-20th century alterations including the removal of dormitories to create larger teaching spaces. Phase Four: Modern corridor extension.  

The first women-only teacher training college in Wales was originally based in the centre of Swansea, and moved to this campus in 1912. The became part of the Swansea Institute of Higher Education in 1991 and, in 2008, was incorporated into Swansea Metropolitan University. Now part of  University of WalesTrinity Saint David.

Reference: Report of an Archaeological Level 3 Building Recording carried out by Archaeology Wales in 2009. 

RCAHMW, 2024.