20 King Street

Cadw's description

Location

Situated roughly midway along street.

History

Commercial premises apparently dated 1806, but external detail all later C19. In 1914 and 1926 listed with No 19 as David Williams, book-seller, the business later including antiques, the antiques business was housed in this building, the bookshop in No 19. The 2 shopfronts have matching carved heads, literary on No 19, grotesque (antique) on No 20. The house is said to have once been used as residence for High Court judges.

Exterior

House and shops, taller than Nos 19 and 21 adjoining, painted stucco with slate close eaved roof and no chimneys. Three bays, 3 storeys. Stone plaque in top right hand corner, eroded but apparently dated 1806. Early C19 fluted metal rainwater heads, possibly lead, with lead downpipe. Tripartite plate-glass sash windows to upper floors, outer top floor windows and first floor left window with cast-iron later C19 flower balconies on sills. Ground floor has 2 late C19 shops each with plate glass shop window with outer panelled pilaster and scrolled bracket carved with a grotesque face, and fascia and cornice above. Shop-windows canted in with shop doors, and recessed centre half-glazed double door to stairs to upper floors.

Interior

Two iron columns in shop windows marked The Old Foundry Co, Carmarthen. Stick baluster staircase to upper floors around small open well, with scrolled tread ends and ramped rail.

Reason for designation

Included as a prominent commercial frontage of late Georgian origins, retaining a good late C19 shopfront, a pair with that of No 19.