The Tenby and County Club

Cadw's description

Location

Facing the sea on the W side of The Croft some 90m N of the junction with The Norton.

History

Gentlemen's club building of 1876-7 by W Newton Dunn of London and Tenby. William Davies of Tenby was the contractor and the cost was some £2,000. The club in 1926 was described as having reading, smoking and card rooms and two billiard rooms. There were some 100 members. It is the only such institution in S Wales outside Cardiff. Originally there was a continuous balcony at first floor with similar Gothic railings to those below.

Exterior

Club-house, squared tooled grey limestone with Bath stone dressings and slate deep-eaved roof with brick end stacks. Two storeys with basement, roughly 4-window range. Roof is in 2 parts, left 2 bays hipped to left, right 2 bays slightly higher, steeply hipped to left and with bargeboarded gable in left bay. Eaves cornice has ashlar brackets with red brick between, but interrupted by window heads. Flush ashlar quoins. The 2 left bays have 4 first floor plate glass sashes, in 2 pairs, with flush rusticated ashlar frames. A cement sill-band marks line of removed balcony. Ground floor has segmental-pointed plate glass sash each side of very large Gothic porch in ashlar with segmental-pointed arch, brackets under C20 flat roof (replacing balcony) and two red granite columns with Gothic floral capitals and sandstone plinths. Ashlar pilaster responds with floral caps, and basket-arches to sides. Five broad steps up to big panelled double doors in chamfered surround with overlight. The 2 right bays have the prominent gable feature to left, gable has bargeboards and arch-braced collar in painted timber (renewed) over slightly projected first floor stonework with ashlar quoins splayed out above ground floor bay-window. First floor big 3-light ashlar window with top lights and hoodmould stepped over centre date-stone. Ground floor big ashlar canted bay window of 1-3-1 lights, also with top lights, and stone corbels as on porch, to C20 flat roof, formerly balcony. Right hand bay has a similar 2-light window with top-lights on each floor. Basement area surrounded by an unusual Gothic iron railing. Basement has stone steps down to left, pair of sashes to right, door under porch steps,
Rear rendered additions with 2 gables.

Interior

Said to have original interior with large stair hall, wide staircase. Some original plasterwork to main front rooms; marble fireplaces.

Reason for designation

Included for importance as a well-designed later C19 club-house, and for group value.