The Post Office

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on north corner of John Street, opposite Moriah Baptist Chapel.

History

1911 Post Office in red brick and Bath stone, English Baroque style.

Exterior

Monumental 3-storey, slightly curving 5-bay front, divided 1-3-1 with projected outer bays. Ashlar ground floor with moulded plinth, arched windows to outer bays recessed in arches with big curved keystones, plinth moulding stepped back and stone sills. Centre has sash window each side of door, small-paned windows in recessed bolection-moulded surrounds with apron panels below sills and triple keystones. Centre big bolection moulded doorcase in Portland stone with panelled piers below rich carved brackets carrying open segmental pediment. Doorcase has scroll keystone rising up to pediment cartouche monogrammed 'GáVáR' and flanked by carved cornucopia. Original door replaced by window. Raised band, then upper floors in red brick with flush quoins in ashlar to outer bays, ashlar window surrounds, big modillion cornice and parapet. Parapet is stepped up over outer bays. First floor 24-pane sashes, centre 3 with architraves, flat cornices on brackets and moulded sills embraced by architraves. Outer windows similar but more elaborate with bow-fronted apron panels, triple keystones and open pediments on carved festooned brackets. Upper floor has three 16-pane sashes to centre with architraves breaking into base of upper cornice, triple keystones and apron panels. Outer bays have ornate bulls-eye windows with draped festoons.

John Street Elevation: One-window bay repeating motifs of outer bays of west front plus concave south west angle, all in ashlar, with ground floor convex bay window with bolection moulded sash window. 1966 addition.

Utilitarian red brick north end and screen wall with 2 big ashlar corniced gatepiers, ball finials and panelled double gates. Brick wall each side, now rendered, with stone coping.

Reason for designation

Group value