14 High Street

Cadw's description

Location

Situated attached to No 12 at junction of High Street with Dark Street.

History

Former bank building, now offices, probably a later C19 refronting of an early C19 substantial town house. Premises of the National Provincial Bank in 1926, marked as a bank on 1886 O.S. map.

Exterior

Office premises, painted stucco with slate roof and square boxed eaves, with tiny dentil course. The roof is continuous with right part of roof of No 12. Brick left end stack. Three-storey, four-window range, offset to left. Plate glass sash windows, diminishing in height with each floor, in raised moulded surrounds. Two bands between the upper floors with raised fielded panelled panels under each window. Broad sill band at first floor. Channelled ground floor with moulded architraves to three windows and door in right bay. Later C19 big 4-panel door. Upper floor surrounds are simpler with roll-moulded inner edge. Four-panel door with tall square overlight.
Rendered four-storey rear with close eaves. small hipped dormer to right, and rendered eaves chimney to centre right. Top floor has long 4-pane sash to left and two early C19 square six-pane sashes to centre and right. Centre first floor arched stair window with radiating bars, late C19 narrow windows to right and left. Ground floor opens onto C20 broad balcony with altered wide elliptical-arched French window to right and plate-glass sash to centre. Added two-storey hipped rear wing to left.

Interior

Interior altered on ground floor front, but retains earlier C19 staircase with continuous hardwood rail, square balusters and open treads, rising in 4 flights against E wall. Stairs down to basement.

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as a late C19 stuccoed front to an earlier substantial building.