Y Gaer (cultural hub)

The original shire hall building was commissioned by the justices as accommodation for the quarter sessions and for the regular assizes.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rhRHAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA698 |title= The Law Times Reports of Cases Decided in the House of Lords, The Privy Council and The Court of Appeal|volume=28|date=19 July 1873|page=698|publisher= Butterworth}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/item1/4173 |title= Part of the reconstructed Brecon Assize court of 1880|publisher=Gathering the Jewels|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20051001095122/http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/item1/4173| access-date=7 October 2021|archive-date= 1 October 2005}} It was designed by Thomas Henry Wyatt and David Brandon in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone and was completed in 1843. The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with five bays facing the corner of Bulwark and Danygaer Road; the central section of three bays featured a full height tetrastyle portico with Doric order columns supporting an entablature inscribed with the words "Victoria Regina MDCCCXLII", as well as a frieze with triglyphs and a modillioned pediment. The outer bays contained single-storey blocks with three-light windows. Internally, the principal room was the courtroom.

Following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888, which established county councils in every county, it became necessary to establish a meeting place for the newly formed Brecknockshire County Council and facilities in the shire hall were identified for this purpose.{{cite news|url= https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3670340/3670342/18/LIVERPOOL | title= Brecknockshire County Council |newspaper=South Wales Daily News|date=8 February 1889| access-date=7 October 2021}} The shire hall continued to host court hearings until 1971 and to host meetings of the county council until it was abolished in 1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.gwentarchives.gov.uk/media/21368/d3381-breconshire-county-council.html |title= Brecknockshire County Council|publisher=Gwent Archives| access-date=7 October 2021}} The county council's main offices were at Watton Mount, a large house directly opposite the shire hall, until 1962 when New County Hall was built immediately behind the shire hall. Following the local government reorganisation in 1974, the New County Hall became an area office for Powys County Council and also served as offices for the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, but the old shire hall was left vacant.{{cite web |title=Watton Mount |url=https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/25339 |website=Coflein |publisher=Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales |access-date=2 October 2022}}{{cite web |title=Listed building consent report 14/11209/LBC |url=https://planning.beacons-npa.gov.uk/online-applications/files/F18401B76D55401977E3445BB985A085/pdf/14_11209_LBC-Report.pdf-472602.pdf |website=Brecon Beacons National Park Authority |access-date=2 October 2022 |page=138}}{{cite web |title=Planning application 14/11208/FUL: Demolition of the former County Hall building and Grade II* listed former Police Station and the erection of a two storey Cultural Hub building with glass atrium linked to the existing Grade II* listed Brecknock Museum... |url=https://planning.beacons-npa.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=NANYQ2SY1M000 |website=Brecon Beacons National Park Authority |access-date=2 October 2022}}

The Brecknock Museum, which had been established in an old chapel further to the west along Glamorgan Street in 1928,{{NHAW|num=6892|desc= The Old Museum|access-date=7 October 2021}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FpwYDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 |title=British Archives: A Guide to Archive Resources in the UK|page=68|first1=Janet |last1=Foster|first2=Julia|last2=Sheppard|publisher=Palgrave|year=2014|isbn= 978-1349118144 }} moved into the vacant shire hall in 1974.{{cite web|url= https://brecknocksociety.co.uk/our-work/brecknock-museum/ |title= About the Museum & Art Gallery|publisher=Brecknock Museum & Art Gallery| access-date=7 October 2021}} Highlights of the collection included a tombstone of a young cavalryman called Candidus, found at Y Gaer, a local Roman fort.{{cite web |title=The Maiden stone from Brecon Gaer (Roman fort), 1809 |url=http://www.peoplescollectionwales.co.uk/Item/11078-the-maiden-stone-from-brecon-gaer-roman-fort|publisher= Gathering the Jewels |access-date=7 October 2021}}

After funding had been secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund, a major programme of works to create a new cultural hub for the area was initiated in August 2016. The project involved demolition of the New County Hall and an adjoining Victorian police station and the construction of a modern building on the site, linked to the retained old shire hall. The works, which were carried out by Kier Group at a cost of £14 million,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46551845 |title=Kier Group cash call prompts Powys councillors' concern|date=13 December 2018|newspaper=BBC| access-date=7 October 2021}}{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54041804 |title= Y Gaer: Brecon cultural scheme investigation to resume|date=5 September 2020|newspaper=BBC| access-date=7 October 2021}}{{cite news|url= https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/19628472.y-gaer-project-report-highlights-knowledge-experience/ |title= Y Gaer project report highlights knowledge and experience|date=6 October 2021|newspaper=Powys County Times| access-date=7 October 2021}} included the refurbishment of the shire hall, the creation of a new art gallery and the construction of a new library building for Brecon Library which relocated from Ship Street. The complex was named Y Gaer to recall the name of the local Roman fort.{{cite web |title=The Maiden stone from Brecon Gaer (Roman fort), 1809 |url=http://www.peoplescollectionwales.co.uk/Item/11078-the-maiden-stone-from-brecon-gaer-roman-fort |work=Gathering the Jewels |publisher=peoplescollectionwales.co.uk |access-date=7 October 2021}} The works were completed in December 2019.{{cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-50084222 |title= Brecon museum and library complex Y Gaer to open in December|date=17 October 2019|newspaper=BBC| access-date=7 October 2021}}

• Grade II* listed buildings in Powys

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Category:Government buildings completed in 1843

Category:County halls in Wales

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Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Powys

Category:History of Brecknockshire

Category:Art museums and galleries in Wales

Category:Museums in Powys

Category:Local museums in Wales