The George Hotel

Cadw's description

Location

Adjacent to the medieval Town Gate in the lower part of Moor Street known as Town Gate.

History

Built 1899 on site of the former inn destroyed by fire 1896, architects Veall and Sant of Cardiff, (who were responsible for some of Cardiff's best schools). The old inn was built 1610 by Margaret Cleyston who owned Gate House and was run by her as an inn until her death in 1626, Adjoins Port Wall, separately listed, which is incorporated into the hotel building.

Exterior

Hotel in simplified C17 style. Built of coursed rock-faced stone with ashlar dressings and brick decorative banding with rubbed brick relief panels; slate roof with deep moulded eaves cornice and tall corniced brick stacks. Three storeys. Wide frontage, a 15-window range in all, grouped into 4 bays, the lights divided by mullions within an ashlar surround: from left 5,4,2,4. The upper two storeys have horned sashes and multipane upper lights; cross windows with mullions and single transom to ground floor. Centre right main entrance doorway has a moulded Tudor-arch, leaded overlight to recessed double 6-panelled part-glazed doors. Above is a small heavily moulded balcony on wide brackets with quatrefoil decoration in front of the double light first floor window. Brick and stone plinth. On downhill side left is the pedestrian link with High Street created early C20.

Interior

Lobby with inner glazed door with 6-panelled overlight with decorative leading. Interior retains some heavy mouldings including dado rails, door surrounds and staircase with heavy newel posts.

Reason for designation

Listed as a well-designed hotel with an imposing frontage, sympathetic to the medieval gate which it adjoins, and for its historically important and dominating position. Group value with all the nearby listed buildings in the Town Gate area.