The Hean Inn

Cadw's description

Location

In the High Street of Saundersfoot village, at the corner of Wogan Terrace, in a very prominent position overlooking Cambrian Terrace. At the E is an adjacent low block in the same ownership.

History

Built c.1840. The Inn was originally known as the Picton Castle Inn, and was held by the Saundersfoot Railway and Harbour Company as lessees under the Picton Castle estate; but by 1887 had been renamed the Hean Castle Hotel. There is no known connection with Hean Castle. Major alterations were carried out c.1890: a full height porch was added at the front, the parapet of which rises higher than the general parapet level. A single-storey porch was added at the W side, where the ground rises sharply, entering the first floor. A projecting block was also added at the centre of the E side, containing windows at levels intermediate to those of the main structure, and so probably originally containing staircases. The original roof outline facing E and W was concealed behind a crenellated parapet. These alterations appear on a photograph dated 1893.

In c.1960, when the Hean was owned by Mr Wyndham Thomas, a flat roof was added above the crenellations, creating space for a windowless storage storey at the top of the building. In 1979 the bar was extended E into the former stables area.

Exterior

A building in a simple Victorian Tudor style, three storeys and an attic, the latter concealed behind a deep parapet with a later overall flat roof. Rendered and painted stonework. Corbelled parapets to the main walls, now capped with a later roof. Shallow string courses at 1st and 2nd floor levels.

Three-window elevations to W, S and E. The main elevation faces S. A full height central porch rises to above the general roof and terminates in blind machicolations. There is a single storey porch at E and a two storey extension at W. The main windows have two deep thin timber mullions and a transom, deeply chamfered, and a Tudor label mould. The front opening and the side windows of the porch have two-centred pointed openings and label moulds.

Reason for designation

Listed as a prominent building in the development of Saundersfoot, in a striking and unusual style.