Wyndham Arcade-Nos 1-39 (Odd) & Nos 4-32 (Even)

Cadw's description

Location

Skewed main frontage to Mill Lane which formerly faced the Glamorganshire Canal; Wyndham Arcade runs through to emerge as a passage at the S side of No 54 St Mary Street.

History

Constructed on backland site by 1886 (not shown on 1st edition OS map surveyed 1875-81); renovated early 1960s.

Exterior

Three storey, 7-bay rogue Italianate facade in painted brick with stone and stucco window bays and other decorations. Slate roofs with ridge cresting and single brick stack towards right end. Raised pedimented gable with ball finial, tripartite arched windows plus flanking balustered parapets linked to second floor windows with flanking aedicules corbelled over wide and high arcade entry. "WYNDHAM 1887 ARCADE" inscribed within elliptical arching. Four bay pilastered frontage to left, corbelled bipartite bays linked vertically with arched heads (formerly with ball finials) breaking through eaves cornice; sash windows with small pane glazing to heads. Arched finials to good floor cornice on paired brackets over shop fronts with modern fascia boards. Similar 2-bay frontage to right. Two-storey entry to original, mildly classical arcade with (modern) triangular glazed roof supported by arched cast-iron brackets with traceried spandrels and "hopper" capitals. Bracket cornice steps up towards St Mary Street end. Mostly 3-light timber windows with small-pane upper glazing on first floor. Moulded cornices with fluted end brackets to shop fascias (some covered by modern boards); moulded surrounds with single mullions and roll-mounbted sills to pilastered shop fronts with offset doorways under fanlights. Modern security shutter and boxes to most.

Reason for designation

A well-preserved feature of Victorian Cardiff; one of only 5 older examples remaining.