Cornwallis Flats

Cadw's description

Location

Situated just SW of Llanwrda Primary School, set back from road.

History

Unusually large almshouses built in 1793-5. Letitia Cornwallis left £400 in the 1730s to house spinsters of sound repute. Due to disputes the will was not implemented until the 1790s. The two 2-storey parallel blocks with short connecting range, i.e. H-plan, suggest an internal plan of some sophistication but this was altered in conversion to flats. The 5-bay main ranges originally had 3 doors according to 1948 photographs (now one) and there were entries in lean-tos each side of the connecting spine. Said to have been originally 4 flats, 2 each floor in each range, altered 1974 to 4 single flats and 2 double flats.

Exterior

Almshouses, now flats. Dry-dash C20 cladding, replacing roughcast, hipped slate roofs with modillion cornices and rendered chimneys. Two storeys, H-plan, of two 5-window ranges facing S and N, linked by a short parallel-roofed hipped block with long lean-tos E and W. Each range has 4 rear wall chimneys. Detail is mostly C20 echoing original, 12-pane horned sashes with concrete sills. Original single centre front door to each range with radiating-bar fanlight and panelled door (originally there were 3 such doors, the outer ones blocked on S front, N front unrecorded). One-window range to each end wall, and long lean-to roofs between end walls have C20 mirror-paired 2 doors and 2 windows.

Interior

Said to be much altered in conversion, but rear range has centre passage with hall arch and stairs off right end apparently original.

Reason for designation

Included despite alterations as a Georgian almshouse group of remarkable scale and design.