House, including attached railings

Location

On the corner with Lion Street. Part of the group of historic buildings to N of the parish church of St. Mary's in a street branching off the main commercial centre of Abergavenny.

History

Apparently early C19, but the window arrangement may suggest an older core, and the house is said to date from c1760. However, no evidence to support this C18 date was seen inside. The building is externally unaltered since the early C19. The property includes No. 6 Lion Street (qv). This house is the long time office of Gabb & Co, the solicitors who, in the C19 included John Baker Gabb who helped pay for the Church of Our Lady and St Michael in Pen-y-pound Road (qv).

Exterior

Rendered and painted rubblestone with a natural slate roof and red brick stacks. Double depth central entrance plan. Three storeys, five windows. Central doorway with wide 6-panel door with fanlight; flat-canopied porch with wrought iron piers and enriched frieze. The windows are arranged almost symmetrically, in vertical lines with slightly differing gaps between. Tripartite sashes in the outer bays of the ground floor, 6 over 6 pane flanked by 2 over 2; other ground and first floor windows are 6 over 6 pane sashes with 3 over 6 pane on the upper floor. Deep eaves on paired brackets, bell-cast roof swept at the corners, moderate pitch, gable stacks. Attached wrought iron gates and spike railings along whole front.
Lion Street elevation has a single storey lean-to against the gable end of No. 32. This has a 4 x 4 pane window facing Monk Street and a small window under the eaves to Lion Street. Two storey section with tripartite sash on each floor, 6 over 6 pane flanked by 4 over 4. Slightly higher roofline to second section which has common roof-line with No. 8 Lion Street (qv). Garage door below, 6 over 6 pane sash above, steeply pitched roof.
Rear elevation not inspected.

Interior

Only the ground floor was seen at resurvey. Central hall with reconstructed staircase, the plaster cornice survives. Room to left has an introduced fireplace with good iron hob-grate, carved surround and marble slips in the Adam manner. The building has long been a solicitor's office with all the alterations for offices, storage etc. that is involved.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a well preserved early C19 house retaining good character, which is a part of the group of historic buildings around the Church of St. Mary.