Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
56 Monnow Street
Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II*
- Broad class
- Domestic
- Date of designation
- 27 June 1952
- Locality
- Monmouth
- Town
- Monmouth
- Community
- Monmouth
- Unitary authority
- Monmouthshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.81064, -2.71737
- Cadw reference
- 2292
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
On Monmouth's principal commercial street which leads out of the town square going south-west to Monnow Bridge.
History
Cornwall House occupies the site of three burgage plots which had already been combined by the C16 when an inn stood here. By 1678 a building called Great House stood here. The agent of the Duke of Beaufort, Henry Burgh, rebuilt the house in 1752, and the brick front facing Chippenham is probably of this date. At the turn of the C18 and C19, a rear block was remodelled as the house was "turned round" to face Monnow Street. This block incorporates or re-uses earlier C18 material including windows with thick glazing bars. The house was divided into two around 1860, and the top storey of the Monnow Street front may date from then. No.56 is now the offices of the Monmouth Beacon.
Interior
The interior has been altered in its conversion to newspaper offices but it retains some early C19 joinery, 6-panel doors and a open well stair with closed string, turned balusters and mahogany handrail. This could be the secondary staircase from the old house stripped out and replaced with new detail but to the same design type. There is an Adam style fireplace with fluted Corinthian half columns in the main ground floor room and two others (not seen) are reported. Upper rooms largely featureless but heavy principal rafter roof visible in part.
Reason for designation
Included and highly graded for its special interest as as one of the finest individual houses in the Monmouth town centre.
Nearby in the register
- Cornwall HouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- Front Garden Railings & Gates to Nos.56 & 58Gardens, Parks and Urban Spacesunder 1 mi
- 50 Monnow StreetNo class recordedunder 1 mi
- 62 Monnow StreetCommercialunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.