The Cafe on the Square

Cadw's description

Location

Situated prominently in SW corner of Nott Square.

History

Earlier C20 alteration of hipped 3-bay earlier C19 building marked on 1834 map and seen in old photographs. This had a stuccoed front with chimney in the centre of the front wall. In the remodelling the whole front wall was glazed on 2 storeys, possibly as a hardware shop and a large dormer added. Shown with glazed front as Eagle House, premises of Eagle Star insurance, in c1930 photographs. Glazing renewed slightly differently in late C20.

Exterior

Shop and cafe, painted stucco with hipped slate roof. Two-storey with attic and basement. Two-storey plate glass front elevation, the glazing renewed in later C20. Large gabled slate-cheeked dormer with large semi-circular headed plate window centre and smaller cambered-headed light either side. First floor has 3 large plate windows across entire front, side windows each with 3 small opening lights to top. Ground floor has similar 3-bay shop front with recessed glazed door to left. Painted fascia above each floor, the upper one under eaves framed by triple consoles at either end. Narrow bay each side of glazed front has applied timber decoration, an arched panel each floor with square panel below. Channelled stucco angle piers.
Left end wall has 3-light C20 shop window on ground floor with fascia and cornice. Channelled pier to rear corner. Rear SW wing with SE lower outbuilding gable-ended to Bridge Street, whitewashed rubble with curved angle, blank window with brick surround and blank pointed doorway with brick head. Outshut on side wall.

Interior

Cellar walls of whitewashed rubble stone as also outer side walls of main building. Pine joists to ceilings.

Reason for designation

Included as an unusual fully-glazed commercial frontage in a prominent site on Nott Square.