Gwydian House (62 & 62B)

Cadw's description

Location

Set back slightly from the street line behind a narrow forecourt with low coped stone walls and surmounting, partly spear-headed railings; adjoining no.60 to the R.

History

Early C18 town house with minor late C19 alterations and possibly with earlier origins.

Exterior

Large Queen Anne or early Georgian town house of 3-storeys. Pebbledashed elevations (probably over brick) with medium-pitched slate roof and large rendered end chimneys. Symmetrical 3-bay facade with central entrance; 6-panel door, the upper panels glazed, with moulded and bracketed semi-circular wooden hood canopy. Sixteen-pane sash windows (unhorned) to the ground and first floors, those to the outer bays marginally larger. The upper floor has similar 16-pane windows breaking the eaves and contained within gabled dormers with simple decorative bargeboards. Unsympathetic modern glazing to the windows of the rear elevation.

Adjoining at right-angles to the rear is a contemporary 2-storey former service wing (formerly listed separately as no.62 B). Of C18 brick (painted) with slate roof and end chimney to L. Asymmetrical facade with 4 ground floor windows and 3 to the first floor. Modern plain-glazed casements, formerly listed as including a large sliding sash to the upper floor and 3 small-pane sashes to the ground floor. Off-centre boarded door with simple flat-roofed brick porch.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as an early C18 town house retaining good external character, including Georgian fenestration and doorway.

Group value with other listed items in Vale Street; one of a number of fine town houses in this street, historically regarded as the gentry and professional quarter of the town.