Church House

Cadw's description

Location

Situated attached to the Old Printing House, No 1 Broad Street.

History

Three-storey earlier C19 town house, bank premises of David Jones & Co (the Bank of the Black Ox) 1848-1903, thereafter known as Church House and used for parish purposes. Now Llandovery YMCA. Recorded in 1836 and 1841 as owned by Edward Jones of Velindre, attorney, and occupied by Charles Bishop of Dolgarreg, attorney. In 1848 it became the premises for the bank, previously at No 1 Stone Street, and remained the bank office until the move to Prospect House, 14 High Street, c1903. Old photographs show a Roman Doric columned portico in front and deeper eaves, altered in C20 with new Georgian style doorcase.

Exterior

Terraced house of 3 bays and 3 storeys. Steep slate gabled roof with narrow C20 bracketed eaves and no chimneys (stainless steel flues now on both ends). Lined, painted stucco facade with thin raised angle strips, low stone plinth. Square 6-pane hornless sashes with marginal glazing to second floor, long 6-pane sashes to first floor and 12-pane hornless sashes to ground floor. Two wide stone steps up to central early C19 recessed moulded panelled door (upper 4 panels fielded, lower 2 flush) with good traceried fanlight in similar panelled reveal. Door surround is C20 replacement for columned portico, C18 style with open pediment on console brackets with fluted pilasters. Right hand return plain stucco above No 17, M-shaped roof at this gable end. Left hand return above No 1 Broad Street, plain stucco with raised chimney breast.
Large rear wing with truncated external chimney.

Interior

Flush-panelled 6-panel inner door with oval glazed light and radiating-bar fanlight. Inner hall has elliptical arch. Room to left has earlier C19 reeded moulded surround to fireplace with square corner blocks, and reeded ceiling border. Panelled shutters. Room to right not inspected. At rear left is staircase with wide shallow treads and scrolled tread-ends, parallel to front wall, the balusters of first 2 flights replaced in C20. Upper floors not available for inspection and stair boxed in, scrolled end of a stair rail visible on first floor landing. Panelled reveals to 1st floor windows. Ground floor doors replaced in C20.

Reason for designation

Included as substantial Georgian style town house, particularly notable for its surviving interior detail. Group value with other town centre buildings.