Gwyn Hall

The Gwyn Hall was previously a four-storey Victorian theatre in the town centre of Neath, Wales. Following a fire in 2007 it was substantially rebuilt, retaining its facade but moving the theatre to the ground floor, with flexible seating configurations. The third floor houses a dance studio and cinema pod. In addition, a glass atrium cafe was added to the frontage.Original constructionGwyn Hall was originally built in 1887 on land given by Howel Gwyn. The theatre was built by English architect John Norton at a cost of £6,000, who had also built the church, St David's, which sits on the other side of the road.The building was used as a music hall and also served as a meeting place for council business until the construction of the Neath Civic Centre in the 1960s. Classical concerts were held at the hall, including a performance of Handel's Messiah, upon receiving an organ given by the widow of Howel Gwyn in November 1889.HistoryOn 26 September, a statue of Howel Gwyn was unveiled outside the hall. The positioning of the statue caused controversy at the time as it was thought that it would interfere with traffic. Subsequently in 1967, the statue was moved to its present position in the nearby Victoria Gardens. The statue pointed to Howel Gwyn's birthplace opposite the Gwyn Hall, which was demolished in the 1960s and replaced by a Woolworths.