Olde Malsters

Cadw's description

Location

At the top wide part of the street, side elevation to passageway now leading to car-park at rear of Bridge Street, adjacent to Museum.

History

The building consists of the cross wing and passage of a large late medieval house. The hall of the house is now No 9 New Market Street. The house retains front and rear Tudor-arched passage doorways, and a 3-arched stone screen with two Tudor-arched doorways, and a possibly slightly earlier doorway with 3-centred head. The rear ground floor room (now kitchen) has remains of cruck trusses. The present roof trusses are of 2 periods with, to rear, mortise-and-tenon joints, and towards front, lapped and notched joints.

Exterior

Townhouse of medieval origin, attached at one side to No.9. Of stone part scored-stucco rendered, part painted, hipped slate roof with tall brick corniced lateral stack, further stack at rear gable end. Two storeys and attic. Frontage to New Market Street has a surviving chamfered Tudor-arched stone doorway with slate hood. Projecting gable end has single range of 12-pane horned sashes in reveals. Side elevation onto passage shows much sign of alteration and adaptation. Under eaves near front is an extended two-light mullioned window with early origin, 2 arched lights in a rectangular frame with spandrels, set in a narrow corbelled-out bay adjacent to lateral external stack. Beyond stack the wall is recessed, a brick blocking, and then breaks forward. At left at head height a small medieval pointed light with pierced hole for tracery cut into a single stone block. Under eaves is a rectangular similarly early stone window with vestigial moulding; 2 other later upper wood casements and a wide C20 ground floor window casement window. Stepped back to rear is a wing with an upper casement window with very deep hoodmould and stops. Rear gable end has blocked stair window to interior stone stair.

Interior

The house retains front and rear Tudor-arched passage doorways, and a 3-arched stone screen with two Tudor-arched doorways, and a doorway with 3-centred head. The rear ground floor room (now kitchen) has remains of cruck trusses, and a stone fireplace with mason-mitred lintel. A stone stair (visible only in upper storeys) runs up to attic level (present stairs modern). The front room has a fine stone fireplace with moulded surround, and a blocked round-headed window. The present roof trusses are, to rear, mortise-and-tenon joints, and towards front, lapped and notched joints.

Reason for designation

Graded II* as an especially important house in Usk with visible early origins. Group value with other listed buildings in New Market Street.