16 Bangor Street

Cadw's description

Location

Set into a row of frontages between Pavilion Hill and the public library.

History

Built in the third quarter of the C19 and first shown on the 1890 Ordnance Survey. No 16 was occupied by a cabinet maker in 1895.

Exterior

Belongs to a group of 14-24 Bangor Street.

A row of 6 shops with dwellings above, of 3 storeys with attic, in a bold and enriched Victorian classical style. Walls are painted roughcast, the roof of slate, mainly retaining original thick slates but partly renewed. Each premises is 2 bays, with the R-hand (no 14) narrower. The lower-storey shop fronts are framed by bold fluted Ionic pilasters with fascia and cornice incorporating a dentil frieze. The pilasters have been cut through to No 22 where a late C19 shop front has been inserted but the cornice of the original fascia is partly visible. Above the shops each premises is framed by panelled pilasters separately articulated to each floor, to an entablature and a deep bracketed eaves cornice. In the middle storey the windows have moulded sill bands, Corinthian pilasters and moulded tympana decorated with anthemion and other relief foliage, the moulding continuing as an impost band. Capitals to the pilasters are missing to Nos 18, 20 and 22. No 22 retains its original 4-pane sash windows but windows in the others have been replaced. In the upper storey the windows have a corbelled sill band and moulded keyed architraves. Nos 20, 22 and 24 retain original 4-pane sash windows but the others are replaced. The end premises (Nos 14 and 24) retain their original dormers. On the L side No 24 has a pair of 4-pane sash windows, but the gable has been removed. On the R side is a pair of replaced windows beneath a cornice on foliage-enriched consoles, a gable with plain barge boards and a semi-circular panel with an anthemion and other foliage in relief.

The R side wall, of scribed roughcast, has an angle pilaster and cornice over the shop window, above which are replaced windows in original moulded architraves. A central attic window has a renewed sash window and to the R is a renewed tall and narrow stair window.

The 2-window rear elevations are roughcast (rendered to No 18). They have half dormers and tall and narrow stair lights to the R side (except No 14 which has a stair window in the side wall). Some sash windows are retained.

The replaced shop front of No.16 has a half-lit panelled door to the R under a boarded soffit. To the L of the shop front is an iron gate to a common through passage providing access to the rear.

Reason for designation

Listed as an imposing block well representing the eclectic classicism of late Victorian commercial architecture, and retaining much of its original rich vocabulary of detail, including fine shop fronts. In addition, it makes an important contribution to the strong overall late C19 commercial character of Bangor Street, Bridge Street and Eastgate Street.