Clarence House

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on junction with Queensway.

History

Corner house built c1830-5 as the Clarence Inn or Clarence Hotel. First mentioned 1835-6 as owned by Edward Jones, attorney, of Velindre and tenanted (to c1852) by John Williams, borough councillor 1837-40. Owned by Edward Jones III from 1844, by 1866 owned by T W Rogers, owner still in 1900. The hotel was a posting inn and failed in the 1880s with the end of coaching trade and was then rented by Llandovery College. The Clarence Inn was the location for the dinner held on 1/3/1848 to mark the foundation of Llandovery College.
The chimneys have been removed. It is said that when the stucco was removed from the front in 1977 it could be seen that the top storey was added, but this is not apparent from the end elevation exposed in 2003. The front formerly had quoins.

Exterior

Large house of 3 bays and 3 storeys with slate gabled roof missing the former end chimneys. Deep flat eaves, wavy bargeboards with pendants to both gables. Painted, lined stucco, with hornless sashes to all: 9-panes to 2nd floor, 12-panes to first and ground floors. Central arched front doorway with 6-panelled door (4 sunk panels, 2 raised) and radiating-bar fanlight.
Left hand return (on to Queensway) has plaster removed to expose rubble stone walling with brick voussoirs and jambs to windows, which are in 2 bays, one each side, C20 door with rectangular overlight to ground floor left.
Right hand return of roughcast stone. Rear elevation of roughcast stone with deep eaves, door to right and evidence of former lean-to here, small C20 window to ground floor left, 9-pane windows to left and right to 2nd floor and central 9-pane fixed window to 1st floor.
Cobbles on pavement to front.

Interior

Interior not inspected.

Reason for designation

Included despite loss of chimneys as a substantial former coaching inn, retaining some late Georgian character.