Sparta House

Cadw's description

Location

Facing the harbour on the S side of Crackwell Street, W of the junction with Bridge Street.

History

House of 1886, now flats, the Sparta Hotel in mid C20, the detail suggests the same architect or builder as Pier House adjoining.

Exterior

Flats, originally built as a house, later a hotel. Painted stucco with slate roof behind parapet and large rendered end stacks. Four storeys, double-fronted with rustication to lower two floors, the ground floor rustication channelled. Ground floor large plate glass sash each side of door. C20 glazing. Six-panel door with overlight under ornate stucco cornice broken forward each side over scrolled consoles. Two 2-storey canted oriels above with large 2-4-2-pane sashes, moulded cornices and ogee-curved bases. Ornamented bands at sill level continued right across facade at first floor but broken, perhaps missing, on oriels at second floor. Third floor windows 4-pane sash each side in moulded architrave, blank centre light, sill band. Moulded dentil cornice and parapet.
Older slate tablet inscribed Sparta House to first floor centre. Right end wall is unpainted, with long rendered chimney apparently of 18 flues.
Rear elevation to Bridge Street is roughcast with parapet, basement and 3 storeys, with 4-pane sashes each side and stair lights at half levels between. All stair lights are C20 plastic windows. C19 area railings with stud-head finials.

Interior

Said to have good staircase with moulded newel. Heavy mahogany surrounds to ground floor rooms, plaster cornice to R ground floor room.

Reason for designation

Included as a prominent and elaborate later Victorian stucco front overlooking the harbour.