2 High Street

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at upper end of High Street facing Boer War memorial.

History

End-terrace premises, with later C19 detail to tall three-storey-and-attic building of c1700, built on medieval barrel vaulted cellar. Part of Swales Music Centre with Nos 4 and 6, joined internally. The deeds go back to 1809 when owned by Edward Paget of Bank Place, London. There were two medieval timber-framed houses to the left, demolished in the 1880s for the Town Council Chamber and Temperance Hall. A photograph of 1921 shows the windows without surrounds and the shop occupied by a confectioner, Mrs Hugh George in 1926 directory.

Exterior

End-terrace house and shop, unpainted roughcast and painted stucco with imitation-slate close-eaved roof and no chimneys. Three storeys and attic, three close-set bays. Hipped eaves dormer with modern casements and top lights. Windows in C20 raised shouldered stuccoed surrounds, modern plate glass sashes. Shop front and house doorway to right flanked by pilasters, three in all, the one between the door and shop front wider. Overall timber fascia and cornice. C20 half-glazed house door. Shopfront has two plate glass large panes to right of C20 glazed door with overlight. Rendered left end wall with one 4-pane sash to first floor right and short wing to left with grey limestone rubble tall square chimney. Twelve-pane sash under eaves.
Rear N faces on to Dark Street, four storeys rendered, gabled. Windows set to left: hornless 12-pane attic sash, over large hornless 12-pane sash, over canted oriel (at interior ground floor level) with rounded angle shafts and basement board door with big cambered-headed overlight to left of garage doors.

Interior

Interior not inspected. Said to have good full-height staircase of c1700 with twisted balusters, the top landing with shaped flat balusters. Ground floor rear room with pair of C18 cupboards, the doors with arched panels separated by fluted pilasters. On the first floor a fine panelled room with moulded chimneypiece. Pointed barrel vaulted medieval cellar.

Reason for designation

Included for its special historic interest as one of the earliest surviving houses in the town with medieval cellar and good c1700 interior detail above.