Tenby House Hotel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on the S side of Tudor Square opposite Quay Hill.

History

Hotel of 1807 built on the site of the earlier Ball Inn by Sir William Paxton and renamed The Globe. The asymmetric 4-bay front may result from the incorporation of the earlier Ball Inn fabric. After Paxton died it was offered for sale in 1824 as Tenby House, suitable for a gentleman's family, with offices, lawns, greenhouse, gardens, yard, coach-house and stable. Bought c1835 with the baths and assembly rooms by Captain C C Wells of the East India Company. Offered to let in 1855 by Captain Wells as a large family house fit for a nobleman, with library and large drawing room. When Wells died in 1882 he was described as of Tenby House, formerly of Penally House. Occupied in 1926 by M Mathias-Thomas & Son, solicitors. Renovated in 1998-9 with reinstatement of canopy to front balcony shown in old photographs.

Exterior

Inn, painted roughcast with slate roof and end stacks. Three-storey, 4-window front with thin cornice and parapet, and thin sill-band to 2nd floor. Upper floor 9-pane sashes with shouldered surrounds, French windows with hoodmoulds on first floor opening onto iron railed balcony. Balcony was remodelled c1998 with rails reset or remade to the anthemion and opposed heart pattern originally published by Cottingham in 1823-4, and the tented canopy seen in old photographs was reinstated on 5 uprights with matching ironwork. Ground floor has 3 12-pane sash windows with stucco cornices on scroll brackets and doorway in 2nd bay with entabature and cornice on two massive Doric columns. C20 double doors. Left side wall has C20 windows, irregular wall-face suggests rebuilding of an older structure. Long rear wing with former stable at right angles, all much modernised.

Interior

Mostly altered in renovation c1998. Single ground floor front room, opening into long rear wing. Pine shutters to front windows. Two oak beams in upper end of rear wing, another in ladies' toilet to left and this also has a large stone slab across a corner, apparently once a fireplace lintel, and possible indication of an earlier structure on site. Cantilevered staircase in round well (lower flight removed).

Reason for designation

Included as a fine late Georgian facade, prominently sited, and for historical interest as part of Sir William Paxton's developments in Tenby.