Gwy House (Chepstow Museum)

Cadw's description

Location

On flat ground in the lower part of Bridge Street, set back from the road, unlike other houses in this street, with front courtyard and surrounding garden.

History

Built 1796 as private residence of Warren Jane the younger, an apothecary and in C19 lived in by George Watkins, surgeon. Side bow window probably added c 1830. In the early C20 it was used as a school for young ladies, then as a Red Cross Hospital 1915-18, a district hospital 1921-76, and was subsequently converted to present use as museum.

Exterior

Small town mansion. Painted roughcast with ashlar dressings, slate roof behind a parapet with stone coping; rendered stacks with decorative chimney pots. Two storeys, 5- window range of recessed wood frame double casements with hinged transom lights; centre 3-window bay breaks forward slightly and has pediment with deeply moulded stone cornice. Ground floor has central projecting semi-circular portico on four paired Roman Doric columns, triglyph frieze, moulded cornice, blocking course, plain pilasters to wall, semi-circular stone steps up to square-headed doorway with side-lights and double half-glazed and leaded doors incorporating decorative coloured glass with floral motifs; 2 similar casement windows to each side. Stone plinth, platband at first floor level: these two plus sillband and cornice continue to side elevations. Uphill side elevation has semicircular ground floor bay window comprising multipane lights with margin glazing under a deep entablature with fluted surround. Downhill side elevation has corbelled out first floor bay window,

Interior

Converted to a Museum, but retaining its original plan. Doorway has inner basket-arch, shutters to side lights. Bow-sided vestibule; basket-arches to rectangular lobby and staircase hall; black and white terrazzo floor. Plasterwork mouldings including cornices and friezes with acanthus, palmette and key pattern motifs. Doorcases with fluted architraves incorporating rosettes; 6-panelled doors with panelled reveals. Bow-backed stairwell; cantilevered stone staircase with open decorative shallow treads, wreathed and ramped polished wood handrail, slender iron balusters, every third one enriched with scrolls and leaf motifs; roll- mouldings to underside of stairs. Lighting the staircase from above is a central oval panelled domed rooflight.

Reason for designation

Listed as a fine Georgian town mansion. Group value with the courtyard wall, other listed buildings in the lower part of Bridge Street and the Castle.