54 King Street

Cadw's description

Location

Towards the eastern end of King Street on the north side

History

A building is shown on this site on the 1610 Speed Plan of Carmarthen, however the present building probably represents a later C19 rebuilding of an earlier structure. The building was altered and converted into flats in the late C20 and then recently restored at the time of inspection. Archive photographs show only one doorway to the ground floor with 'Bekistocke & Son, Wine & Spirit Merchants' in raised lettering above.

Exterior

House and shop. 3-storey and attic; 2 bays. smooth rendered with plate glass pointed sash windows with raised Gothic hood moulds. Slate gabled roof with gabled two-light dormer. Moulded bracket eaves cornice. On ground floor, three Gothic arches and joining string course over a central window and doorways to outer bays, the right-hand a former window and the words 'Established 1840' written in the arch over the left- hand. On the first floor, single sash windows and to left canted corbelled oriel bay window with enriched capitals and mullions to right-hand. At the base of the oriel a decorative carved stone corbel with plain shaft and carved capital breaks through ground floor string course. On second floor, window to left and paired windows to right with continuous string course over.

Interior

Open plan shop unit to ground floor accessed by right-hand door. Late C19 stair accessed from left-hand door and rises full height of building with the upper floors being converted into three separate flats

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as a strongly detailed house and commercial premises of the later C19 and for group value with other listed buildings in King Street.