The Cornstore

Cadw's description

Location

On the N side of the estuary just NW of Mill Bridge and N of North Quay.

History

Warehouse set back from the North Quay, looking mid C19 but with 1769 date on internal sack hoist. Carefully restored 2003 by Pembroke Design architects for the Welsh Development Agency and Pembs. County Council, and in use as cafe and furniture shop 2004. Marked on c. 1865 map of Pembroke. Said to have been a cornstore for the mill that stood on Mill Bridge, an agricultural warehouse, and then a transport depot. Shown in old photograph marked Williams Patent Steam Sawmills. The last ship trading from the North Quay came in the 1961.

Exterior

Three storey warehouse with walls of squared grey limestone of irregular size; nogged brick eaves cornice and renewed slate roof. S front elevation of five bays with openings with brick heads and stone keystones, smallest on top floor. Modern glazing, renewed slate sills. First floor centre window is slightly taller, a former loading door. Ground floor has central broad segmental-arched doorway with large tooled stone voussoirs and modern double doors. Right window has been blocked and replaced by a similar one just further right.
E end wall, to the road, has window left of centre and loading doorway to right on both upper floors. Ground floor has a doorway to left and short wide door to right (aligned with loading doors above). Left end wall has two windows to upper floor, two to first floor, the left one shorter, and marks of various blocked openings (there was an added outbuilding at this end). Ground floor C20 broad door to right.
Rear elevation of five bays is similar, but no keystones to brick heads. Low blocked centre door with brick head.

Interior

Heavy square close-set beams to ground floor ceiling and close-set heavy joists to first floor. Modern stairs in centre, sack hoist over with wheel and dated timber 1769. Roof has about ten heavy pegged collar trusses, the sack-hoist truss with tie-beam below and strutting in apex.

Reason for designation

Included as a maritime warehouse of definite quality and character with original internal wood structure, of group value with the quay and Mill Bridge.