Market Tavern Hotel

Cadw's description

Location

Within the pedestrianised area of the town centre on the N side of Market Chambers.

History

Built 1892-3 to the design of Thomas Rowlands, architect, and conceived as part of a group with the adjacent Market Chambers.

Exterior

A hotel of 3 storeys with attic and built of white brick with red-brick dressings, freestone lintels, sills and cornices, and sash windows. The roof is slate. The front is faceted and is of 3 unequal bays. The L-hand bay, in the L facet, has triple windows in the middle and upper storeys, while the centre and R-hand bays, in the R facet, have double windows. The middle storey windows are lintelled, the upper storey round-headed with moulded stone impost band carried up over the window heads. There is a moulded cornice and moulded band between middle and upper storeys. Each facet has an attic dormer that is pedimented with pilasters, and has an oval window. In the lower storey is a replaced door to the R side. The original front has been mostly replaced, but pilasters and end consoles of the fascia survive of the original front. To the L is a single-bay splayed angle, housing a replaced door in the lower storey.

The L side elevation faces a passage to the Market Hall. In the lower storey the fascia and pilasters of the shop front continue for one narrow bay. Further L is a single blind bay under an entablature in the lower storey, with paired sash windows above that are narrower and plainer than the front. Further L again is a lower 2-storey rear wing of 2 gabled bays. In the lower storey are modern shop fronts (a side entrance to the hotel in the R-hand bay, Nu-Life shoe repairs to the L-hand). In the upper storey each bay has a pair of round-headed sash windows and a small round-headed gable window.

Reason for designation

Listed for group value with Market Chambers and for its contribution to the architectural character of Market Street.