Cleifiog

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the street in the block of buildings E of Mill Lane.

History

An C18 house of uncertain date. The single-depth range with central rear stair projection suggests an early C18 date but the 5-bay front appears to be c1750. The house is shown forming a single property with the house adjoining to its R, as the Customs House on the 1829 town plan. By 1861 it was a separate house (having been replaced by a custom house on a new site) to which a rear wing had been added. Subsequently a single-storey projection was added to the rear and the eaves were raised. It was restored in the late C20 when a porch was removed.

Exterior

A 2½-storey 5-bay house of rendered walls and steep slate roof with added skylights, and roughcast end stacks. The central fielded-panel door has a Gothic overlight. Windows are 12-pane hornless sashes. The L gable end has similar windows on the R side. Set back from the gable end is a lower 2-storey 3-window rear wing with 4-pane hornless sash windows, and an entrance to the L of centre with a replacement panel door. At R angles behind this is a higher range, now a separate dwelling (Custom Mews) facing Rosemary Lane.

The rear of the house has a central gabled stair projection which has a 12-pane hornless sash window to the upper landing and smaller 4-pane window below. On the L side is a projection under a pent roof. The 2-window rear wing on the R side has a replacement half-glazed door and inserted 3-light window in the lower storey and 2 replacement 4-pane sash windows in the upper storey.

Interior

A central entrance hall has panelled partitions and segmental-headed 2-panel doors to the main rooms. The room to the R has a fireplace with segmental stop-chamfered timber lintel and bread oven. In the L-hand room the walls have fielded wood panels and a simple moulded cornice. The doorway from the entrance hall to the stairs is surmounted by a painted inscription 'Pax Intratibus Salus Exeuntibus'. The full-height open-well stair has turned balusters and square pendant newels. In the upper storey the L-hand room has 2 moulded cross beams and panelled walls. The R-hand room has similar panelling and a fielded-panel door. The attic has 4 trusses, 2 of which retain their original dovetailed collar beams, while the other 2 have been removed. The stair projection has a similar truss. Windows in the main range have fielded-panel shutters and reveals.

In the rear wing is a single exposed truss with pegged collar. The largest room in the upper storey has a plastered barrel ceiling.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as a well-preserved C18 house retaining external character and good interior C18 and C19 detail, and for its contribution to the historical integrity of Townsend.