5 Womanby Street

Cadw's description

Location

Near N end of Street: detached to R, with No 3 stepped up to L.

History

Mid C19 commercial refronting of older building, possibly with C17 origins on account of pebble construction visible at rear. John Speed's 1610 map of Cardiff shows this side of the street built up. The more detailed 1827 map shows a building on this site, detached to the R as No 5 is today: at that time, the street contained warehouses and depots owing to its proximity to the old quay, midway between the River Taff and the Glamorganshire Canal. A building has therefore clearly been in this position since the early C17 and it is also known that the earlier buildings in Cardiff (eg parts of the Castle) used the river pebble construction found at the rear of this building. On that basis it is assumed that it may be of at least C17 or C18 origins, and may be therefore one of the earliest surviving buildings in the city centre.

Exterior

Broad and symmetrical 2-storey, 3-bay cement rendered frontage with red brick dressings including quoins; slate roof. Recessed and hornless 12-pane sash windows, those on 1st floor have blue brick sills and those below, with cambered voussoir heads, have had the glazing bars removed to the lower sashes. The ground floor windows are also set unusually high, perhaps indicating a sizeable basement or alternatively to match the lintel level of the tall central entrance. This doorway has been widened and above is a further boarded loading door. No openings to side or rear elevations.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest to the history of Cardiff city centre.