Swn y Don

Cadw's description

Location

Facing the sea near the junction of The Paragon and St Mary's Street.

History

One of a mirrored pair of C19 houses altered in 1904 in picturesque style with 2-storey balconies and windows with small-paned top sashes (similar to those in Frogmore Villas, Lower Frog Street). The remodelling was probably by E Glover Thomas, architect of Frogmore Villas, who advertised alterations to Gunfort Houses, The Paragon, in 1903. Called Roma in 1951 and the Tralee Private Hotel in 1977, now divided into the Paragon Private Hotel and Swn y Don private house, but in one ownership.

Exterior

The right hand of a pair of seafront houses, now hotel and house. Painted stucco front to both houses of 3 storeys and attic, 4 bays with windows of 2 middle bays grouped close together. Slate roof with brick end stacks. Modillion cornice with frieze below and parapet above. Long and short raised quoins. Cast-iron rainwater head below cornice dated 1904. Sash windows of unusual form: plate glass with double-row of tiny panes in upper part of top sash, the upper row panes arch-headed. Four dormers with sashes, timber bargeboards and finials. On 2 upper floors, windows are segmental headed with surrounds and keystones, the middle two narrower. On first floor the middle two are full length French windows and outer ones are very wide tripartite sashes. Ground floor has two timber canted bay windows with similar sashes and paired centre doors with elliptical-arched heads. Doors are up broad flight of steps. Door to Swn y Don has 5 fielded panels and glazed sidelights. Moulded doorframes have dentil cornices and a small pedimented panel above.
Fine 2-storey timber veranda with sloping roof up to 2nd floor sills. Matching timber area railings each side of entrance steps. Veranda is 5-bay to first floor with wider centre bay, chamfered posts with capitals and curved eaves brackets. Ground floor has 2 narrow bays corresponding to the 2 doorways and a very broad bay each side, with similar posts and curved brackets. Railings at both levels have turned balusters between horizontal rails just below handrail and just above floor level.

Interior

Inner lobbies with glazed screens and patterned tile floor. Decorative glazed tiles to side walls of lobby, to a flower and vase pattern.

Reason for designation

Included as one of a prominent seafront pair of houses with unusual Edwardian decorative timber detail.