18 Palace Street

Cadw's description

Location

In a row of frontages near the S end of the street.

History

A small C17 house, probably originally with its gable end facing the street. It was converted to business premises in the C19 and by 1888 it was the Bardsey Inn. The present front, with roof higher and at right angles to the original, is probably early C20, when the building is said to have had a recessed shop front. The façade was completed in its present form in the mid C20. The form of the original building survives as a lower rear wing.

Exterior

A 2-storey house set forward from 16a Palace Street, of scribed roughcast brick front and slate roof. The shop front has a half-lit panelled door to the R and a shop window with wooden mullions. The doorway and window are framed by panelled pilasters, plain fascia, and dentilled cornice. In the upper storey are 2 early C20 4-pane sash windows. The pebble-dashed rear has a lower wing with brick end stack, and a later monopitched projection.

Interior

A stone winding stair leads to a cellar. The wooden stair to the upper storey is C19. In the upper storey of the rear wing is a single surviving C17 queen-post truss with plaster infill. A lath and plaster partition is between the upper storeys of Nos 16a and 18, while in the lower storey a timber-framed partition is on a stone sill with sill beam, and retains wooden boarding.

Reason for designation

Listed as one of the few buildings in the walled town retaining vernacular detail from before the substantial redevelopment of Caernarfon beginning in the late C18, and for its contribution to the historic integrity of the walled town.