The Black Ox

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in terraced row W of War Memorial.

History

Former Black Ox inn, an earlier C19 alteration of an earlier L-plan house, possibly late C17 or early C18. The earliest reference to the house is of 1840 but the low ground floor and beams suggest a much earlier date as does the L-plan with crosswing. Recorded from 1841 to later C20 as Black Ox (moved here from when No 7 was rebuilt), owned in 1841 and into the early C20 by David Jones Jr, banker, and his heirs.

Exterior

House, former inn, 3 window bays, 3 storeys, pebble-dash with slate gabled roofs overhanging at eaves. The 2 left hand bays are set back with advanced gabled crosswing to right. Rendered chimney each end. Plinth, plain flat dripstones above 12-pane horned sashes throughout, the upper windows of the two left bays breaking eaves under slated bargeboarded small gables. Doorway with C19 slate gabled hood to left of second window, with wide C19 door with 3 chamfered panels in upper section and tongue and grooved lower section. Left gable end is rendered with C19 bargeboards. Cobbles and flagstones to front of building.
Rear has roughcast rear wall and rear wing to right.

Interior

Entrance hall with small red and black quarry tiles laid as diamonds. Double inner doors, possibly previously half-glazed and deeply panelled. Painted wooden dado panels. To right is wide half-glazed door into shop with 2 fielded panels in lower third. Shop has 3 rough beams and tongued and grooved ceiling in middle section. Similar floor to hall and similar dado panelling all round. Massive chimney with C20 fireplace to right hand wall. Half-glazed panels dividing room from corridor.

Reason for designation

Included as a substantial town house with good C19 character and possible earlier origins, of group value with other terraced houses in Broad Street.