34 King Street

Cadw's description

Location

Situated approximately 10m SW of junction with Little Water Street.

History

House and shop, former Cresselly Arms inn, probably rebuilt in the C18 with No 33, altered in C19 and C20. A part of the medieval town wall of 1415 is incorporated in the cellar wall between Nos 33 and 34. Recorded as the Cresselly Arms in 1884, Mrs Margaret Watkins, publican, and 1914, Mrs George Rose, landlady. Nicholas Creel boot repairs listed in 1926. Optician's premises 2002.

Exterior

House and shop, painted roughcast with imitation slate close-eaved roof and no chimney. Two storeys, 2 bays. Plinth, 2 2-pane horned sash windows on first floor and large C20 single-pane fixed shop window with C20 casing, recessed doorway to right with 2 doors, to left into optician's shop and straight ahead to No 34a, upper storey offices. Doorway is aligned to right of window above.

Interior

Staircase with turned balusters and thick rail in early to mid C18 style, the bottom flight replaced in C20, but next flight with square newel, closed pulvinated string. The next flight is enclosed.
In the cellar, down 6 steps, there is a wall of stone rubble running through the right hand side of the building, the party wall with No 33, circa 2.80 metres thick, on the line of the medieval town wall of which it probably forms a part. The 2 cellars are joined and accessed from No 34 only. Fireplace on back wall of No 34 cellar. One heavy beam.

Reason for designation

Included as a C18 house with C19 external detail but retaining original earlier to mid C18 staircase and thick cellar wall part of medieval town walls. Group value.