5 High Street

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in terraced row c10m E of junction with Castle Street.

History

House and shop, c1830-5 built for David Thomas, maltster and mercer who owned a good deal of property on the S side of the High Street. Thomas is mentioned in directory of 1830, (he retired c. 1855 to Royston House, 23 High Street which he had built in 1841, was borough councillor from 1835, alderman 1852, mayor 1863-4, and died in 1876). Occupied from 1855 by T Griffiths, chemist, and used as pharmacy for over one hundred and twenty years into the late C20, known as The Drug Store in 1895, later as The Pharmacy. Owned in late C19 by D P Powell.
The doorway had panelled reveals and Ionic doorcase with reeded pilasters removed before 1981 listing, and since 1981 the shop front extending over main door has been removed as have the eaves with paired brackets.

Exterior

House in informal terrace. Three bays and 3 storeys. Slate gabled roof with close eaves and no chimneys. Painted stucco facade with long and short quoins to left and right and raised plinth. All the sash windows are hornless and have shouldered and heeled raised stucco surrounds with vermiculated keys: 9-pane sashes to 2nd floor, 12-pane sashes to 1st floor and left hand ground floor. Central arched doorway to house with original 6-panel door and fanlight. Door has 4 fielded panels with rebated corners, fanlight has Gothic interlacing glazing bars. Ground floor right has large plain rectangular opening with 2 columns on bases of equal height to original plinth, shopfront set back.
C20 neo-Georgian shop front has central door with overlight echoing house fanlight between fixed small-paned shop windows with top lights.
Rear is rendered with outshut projecting to right. Early C20 cross-windows to first floor left.

Interior

Some surviving internal features, a few panelled doors, panelled shutters and some panelled cupboards. Fireplaces removed. Moulded door surrounds with corner rosettes. Stair with stick balusters and turned newels, balusters renewed, thin curved stair rail.

Reason for designation

Included notwithstanding some loss of original detail as a substantial 3-storey late Georgian style town house with some surviving detail. Part of a group with other buildings on High Street.