Opened in 1898, the steel works were owned by John Lysaght and Company of Bristol and occupied the site of what had previously been Pill Farm on the eastern bank of the River Usk.

Many of the staff working at Orb Works moved to the area from the company’s previous works at Wolverhampton, and with around 3,500 employees , the WR Lysaght Institute was opened in 1928 on Corporation Road to provide for the recreational needs of the workers. The Institute building was designed in Art Deco style, with the facility also including eight acres for recreation including football and cricket pitches.

The Orb Works close in 2001 with the Lysaght Institute initially acting as a community centre. Following a £3 million refurbishment scheme, the Institute is now a conference and events facility.