The Prize House

Cadw's description

Location

Facing the sea next to the Royal Lion Hotel just S of the junction of the High Street and White Lion Street.

History

Town house of Bath stone said to have been to a design that won a prize at the Great Exhibition of 1851, but the prize has not been identified in the histories of the exhibition. A drawing dated Nov 1867 and signed JHH, Bristol, is inscribed 'At Tenby - Built 1851 for J.L. Puxley Esq', which confirms the date and the client, John Lavallin Puxley of Dunboy Castle, Ireland, and Llethr Llesty, Carms. who died in 1856. The style of the house suggests a Bristol architect, being reminiscent of houses in Victoria Square, Clifton of c1845-55, and JHH may be the Bristol architect J H Hirst. The interiors are particularly finely detailed. In 1881 it was occupied by the Rev H H Herbert.

Exterior

Terraced house in Bath stone ashlar with slate valley roof behind parapet. 3 storeys, 3 bays. Fine moulded cornice on ogee brackets under 3-bay parapet with pierced stone panels of linked ovals. Plate glass sash windows to upper floors in moulded architraves. Second floor shouldered surrounds over sill band with scroll pattern and with small decorated corbels below. First floor has tall windows in shouldered surrounds with upper corners curved and rebated. Curved corners also to reveals. Fine curved fronted stone balconies with cast-iron scrolled inserts between ashlar outer piers. The moulded stone top-rail links to a continuous sill band while the bottom moulded stonework is linked to a stepped band, each balcony having a moulded curved base on corbels that project from the band. Small plain corbel each side and large stone bracket under centre which in turn rests on the scrolled carved keystones of the ground floor arched openings. Ground floor has arcade of pilasters with moulded caps and moulded arched heads to door and 2 windows. C20 door and plate glass fixed windows. Window sills finish flush with pilasters and there are panels below with roundels. Right side short return, windowless but with mouldings carried around.
Rear left has 6-pane 2nd floor window over added 2-storey lean-to, with ground floor plate glass window to left and recessed entry to right behind screen of 2 tall timber columns and one pilaster respond. First floor Venetian triple window. Long wing to right, out to Upper Frog Street with 3-storey 4-bay N elevation over narrow courtyard. 4-pane sashes to upper floor, 8-pane to first floor, altered ground floor openings, door window and door. Hipped W end to roof and 1-window range to Upper Frog St with C20 shopfront in ground floor. Rubble stone wall to courtyard with
cambered-headed coach entry, in red brick, rebate in jambs for gate. C20 iron gates.

Interior

Interior has very good detail in late neo-classical manner. Staircase rises between the front and rear rooms, parallel with facade. Front room has fine moulded cornice with 2 main mouldings, the upper one an acanthus, and a fine ceiling border of a double guilloche. Acanthus centre rose. Simple and well-designed shouldered fireplace surround in ashlar, block in frieze and cornice broken forward over block.
Broad square opening to stair-hall with timber Ionic half-columns. Stair-hall has moulded cornice to ceiling to left part, floral ceiling border and small acanthus rose. Left wall has a blind opening with arched head, panelled piers, metal-traceried broad fanlight, over mirror-glazed double-doors with marginal glazing bars and sidelights. Stair to right has apsidal end and fine cast-iron balusters with mahogany rail. Cast iron bottom newel with spiralled rail end. Beyond stair a passage continues along S wall with similar cornice and ceiling border, but full-width opening to right into rear room. Two Roman Doric timber columns with pilaster responds. Rear room has simple moulded cornice, timber neo-Georgian fireplace with centre plaque. C20 door to rear yard.
Stair in centre of house rises in 4 flights. Apse has big arched sash-window with coloured-glass band and arched niche each side. First floor landing has similar arched glazed double door on S wall, but with fluted half columns instead of panelled piers. Unusual Composite capitals. Similar ceiling cornice, floral ceiling border and acanthus rose. First floor front room is very fine and has a deep frieze, undercut acanthus moulding, cove, and cornice with rosettes under. Rose trail ceiling border. Marble fireplace with big consoles to panelled piers, and panelled frieze. Cast-iron grate with tiled sides. To rear of stair, passage along S wall has similar moulding to stair hall, arched entry from stair landing, echoed by blind arch at W end. Full-width opening to right with Corinthian fluted pilasters, possibly altered or missing answering columns. Rear room has cornice and ceiling border as in front room. Ornate ceiling rose with 6-leaf centre, guilloche and Greek flower outer border. A rear alcove has similar pair of pilasters framing opening and Venetian window, without mouldings, possibly the alcove is added.
Stair continues up with similar arched window in apse flanked by niches to second floor landing. Roof-light is ridged with moulding around base, moulded cornice and floral border as on landings.
Moulded window surrounds and panelled shutters.

Reason for designation

Included at Grade II* for the very high quality of exterior stonework and interior detail.