American Villas

Cadw's description

Location

At west side of Ammanford Road, between the Afon Marlais and Rawling Road.

History

One of two houses built in 1897 to a design brought back from Pennsylvania. Built by a local carpenter, Thomas Davies, who had lived and worked since the late 1870s in the USA. They have since remained in the occupation of his family and descendants.
Such examples of modern house-carpentry are very rare before the Great War created the need for innovative constructional experiment.

Exterior

A 'balloon-frame' timber house of slightly different design to its neighbour, No. 41. Two storeys. Gable facing east to the street, with two-bay return elevations to north and south. Single storey unit to the rear, projecting to the north side. A large veranda extends around the east and north sides; it incorporates a decorative gable at the corner emphasising the door position. Clap-boarded walls, slate roofs with tile ridges, brick chimneys; gutters formed with wooden troughs above roof boarding. Veranda with turned timber posts and curved brackets. Timber bargeboards. In places the house is supported on dwarf brick piers. Paired sash windows to gable, with semi-glazed door with margin panes to right; decorative fan design in main and verandah gables. Single sashes to return elevation.

Reason for designation

Listed as a very unusual instance of the introduction of a foreign constructional technique, American in construction and design character.