Conwy Visitor Centre

Cadw's description

Location

Set slightly back from the road opposite Church Street, directly in front of the town wall.

History

A National School built in 1838. Now a visitor centre.

Exterior

A former school; rubble stone with freestone dressings, slate roof behind coped gables on moulded kneelers and apex finials, stone stacks R of centre and in the L-hand bay, both with 2 shafts. Single storeyed, the asymmetrical front has an advanced gable to L and paired advanced gables to the right, set back to the R of which is a short projection. The recessed entrance bay L of centre now has a modern flat-roofed canopy and fascia. It has 2 full-height openings infilled with modern glazed doors and overlights. Short return walls to the projecting bays L and R have a Tudor-headed doorway with studded door to the L side, window to the R. The 3 gabled bays each have large windows of 3 stepped lights, the central wider, with replacement small-pane glazing.
The L side wall has an original window opening cut down to floor level, with modern plate glass. Set back at the R end is a lean-to porch, which has a Tudor-headed, studded door. The lower 1-storey projection behind it, in line with the entrance bay, has a square small-pane window in its gable end, and a stone end stack. Behind this projection the end bay side wall has an enlarged window raised above the eaves, and in its rear gable end are inserted escape door and stair.

Interior

Large room at entrance with 3 arched-brace trusses on brackets. The left-hand bay has an added splayed brick corner fireplace to the rear and is divided into 2 units by a stone dividing wall, the projection at the front having probably always been a separate room. To the R of the entrance is a chamfered pointed arch between main room and gabled right-hand bays, which are themselves separated by a stone dividing wall with back-to-back fireplaces. The bay R of the entrance has an unequal 3-bay arched-brace roof on brackets.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as a well-preserved former school retaining definite C19 character, notwithstanding change of use.