Gwynne House, including area railings

Cadw's description

Location

Terraced house on S side of Bridge Street overlooking harbour, paired with Kemendine to left.

History

Early C19 house built as a pair with Kemendine adjoining, under single hipped roof. In earlier C19 the home of John Gwynne, town clerk of Tenby, whose wife Fanny Price Gwynne was author of several guides to the town from c1845. It is possible that either this house or Kemendine was where George Eliot lodged on her visit to Tenby. Kemendine was once No 2 and Gwynne House no 3, but these numbers exist elsewhere in Bridge Street now.

Exterior

House, the right half of a symmetrical pair with Kemendine, the pair of painted stucco lined as ashlar with parapet and hipped slate roof with brick stacks each side. Three storeys and basement, double-fronted with paired centre doors. Sash windows of 16-panes to first and second floors, the first floor windows with early C19 Gothic iron guards. On ground floor, narrower 12-pane sash window to either side of paired centre doorways with single flight of slate steps. Good pedimented double doorcase with 3 thin columns; fielded panelled reveals and fielded panelled doors; semi-circular fanlights with fine metal tracery. Sash windows to basements, 4-pane to Kemendine, 12-pane to Gwynne House. C19 area railings with wrought iron scrolls and standards with lotus-and-ball finials.

Interior

Narrow interior with hall passage along party wall to stair at right angles. Doorcases have early C19 reeded mouldings with square paterae at angles and 6-panel doors. Fine open well stair with stick balusters, turned newels and thin rail in 6 flights. Front room has elliptical-arched sideboard recess in rear wall, moulded plaster cornice of Georgian leaf design, and ceiling border of floral design.

Reason for designation

Included as one half of a well-detailed early C19 pair of houses, with good surviving interior features.