The Old King's Arms

Cadw's description

Location

Next to the Town Hall on the S side of Main Street some 35m E of its junction with Northgate Street.

History

Late C18 or early C19 inn, probably on earlier core. A Kings Arms is noted in 1617 but not again until late C18 when David Millingchamp of Cardigan, saddler, was landlord in 1795. It closed c. 1835 and became a saddler's with an inn, the Bunch of Grapes. It was renamed the Old King's Arms in the late 1850s. It contains the best surviving example of the Chinese Chippendale staircases of the town, the others being in the Royal George, and in Nos 57-59 and 103-105 Main Street. It is said to have a stone vaulted medieval or post medieval cellar to rear (not seen 2004).

Exterior

Inn, painted roughcast with close-eaved slate roof and renewed red brick end stacks. Three storeys and cellar, four-window range. Later C19 4-pane horned sashes to upper floors, smaller on top floor and later C19 large canted oriel in second bay of first floor. This has 2-4-2-pane sashes, modillion cornice and panelled base. On ground floor, from left: a large C20 24-pane sash window; a doorway with large 2-pane overlight and pair of C20 doors; thirdly, another large window, later C19, of two-lights with column mullion and basket-arched shaped heads, C20 small-pane glazing; fourthly, to extreme right a blocked square-headed passageway with C20 small-paned large window. Long range of attached rear wings to S again which date from C18 or C19 but which have had out-of-character restoration in late C20.

Interior

Inside, ground floor altered. To rear left a wooden open well staircase in Chinese Chippendale style with balustrades on 3 flights up to landing, closed string, ramped rails and square newels. First floor front has four squared beams.
Short rear wing with narrow gabled roof with exposed rafters internally and vaulted cellar to SW noted 1981, not available for inspection.

Reason for designation

Included as a substantial late Georgian terraced building on earlier core, with Chinese Chippendale stair.