13B Broad Street

Cadw's description

Location

Midway up Broad Street, on the NW side of Hopkins Passage. No 13B is the rear range in Hopkins Passage

History

The oldest part of the property is the rear wing in Hopkins Passage. This is C16 (or possibly earlier), a storeyed building with a probable open hall on the first floor, forming part of a once larger building. The frontage range seems to have been completely rebuilt c1800. The frontage range and rear wing are now all in use as shops, with accommodation (disused at time of inspection) in upper floors.

Exterior

Frontage range is buff brick with slate roof and gable end stacks. 3 storeys, 2-window range. Ground floor divided as 2 modern shop fronts. Wide 16-pane sashes on each floor above, with flat arched rendered heads with stressed keystones. Rear wing is rendered: lower floor rebuilt in brick to its E elevation; box-framed jettied upper storey is intact behind the rendering: bressumer and some moulded brackets are visible: the rest is square panelled framing with wattle and daub infil. Similar framing in gable removed and replaced c1990. Framing of the inaccessible W elevation said to survive intact.

Interior

Rear wing has large blocked central fireplace, and transverse main beams. In the attic storey are 2 closed trusses with windbraces; smoke-blackening on central truss which has king post and curved braces to cambered collar.

Reason for designation

The main range forms part of a group of largely early C19 frontages on Broad Street. The rear range is of exceptional interest as an extremely rare surviving example in the town of C16 timber framed construction of some quality.