Gorphwysfa (former Conservative Club)

Cadw's description

Location

Located in a block of buildings fronting Castle Street

History

A medieval hall and cross-wing of box-framed timber construction. The N cross-wing survives almost intact, but the S part of the hall was replaced by a late C17 2-unit block. This C17 block was partly raised and remodelled in the early C19. A detailed record of the house was made by RCAHMW in 1979, when the plaster had been stripped from the walls: the surviving part of the medieval hall was found to retain an open truss, a louvre truss, and a single purlin with curved windbraces beneath. The open truss had a cambered collar supporting a King-post. The cross-wing was jettied to the E, where it fronts the street.

Exterior

The house comprises a short main range to the centre, set back slightly between the advanced medieval crosswing to the right, and the C17 block to the left. Lined-out render throughout, with slate roofs. Main range has renewed brick stack offset to L, and eaves which project down to form a lean-to porch. Inside porch, the entrance bay has been slightly altered: it consists of double boarded doors under a 3-pane overlight, flanked by side-lights with gothic and quarry glazing, all under a long decorative cornice with brattishing, probably brought from elsewhere. Above cornice, timber-framing with arched panels and quatrefoils; box-panels flanking doorway. Skylight to main roof-pitch. Gabled front of storeyed cross-wing to R has a 2-light small-pane wooden casement to each storey. Redmodelled C17 block to left has modillion eaves cornice (probably C19) and plat band; the windows are 4-pane sashes in moulded surrounds; gabled attic dormer with 2-light wooden casement. The render continues for a short distance to L-hand return, then early brickwork is exposed in S side, with plinth, plat band and later cornice continuing. The wall has a number of former windows with segmental brick heads, blocked in brick. To L is a small light with gothic quarry glazing, and a small 4-pane casement above. To far L, a rendered panel with 2 casement windows with frosted glass; similar window above. To rear, gable end of S block has eaves swept down to R, a 2-light window with gothic glazing to 1st floor and a further 2-light window to attic; single-storey rendered block adjoining ground floor. The central range has been cut by the S block, and consists of one-and-a-half gables, slightly set back; rear entrance with lean-to porch. Gabled wing to L has end stack, and a later single-storey range adjoining beneath.

Interior

Open entrance hall with gallery opposite, the woodwork a modern composition, but including a quatrefoil frieze re-used from elsewhere. The medieval cross-wing to R is 3-unit, the upper storey of the front and central units retaining trusses with cambered tie-beams and collars, the former supported by substantial curved braces; curved wind-braces beneath the purlins. The upper storey is reached by a C20 flight of stairs leading up to the central bay. The ground floor of the central bay has a late C17 ceiling with medium-chamfered spine-beams and plain joists. The rear unit was partly remodelled in the C17, and contains a small brick fireplace, but wattle and daub infill has been found here. To L of entrance hall, the character is C17: Back-to-back fireplaces to front and rear rooms, both with cast iron firebacks which bear insignia of Charles I, but are not thought to be authentic. The rear dining room has a large segmental-arched fireplace of chamfered red sandstone voussoirs (possibly re-used from the castle) with a bake-oven to rear; the room is panelled. Large cellars, formerly service rooms, with late C17 detail: substantial stop-chamfered spine beams, with large fireplace to SW with cambered timber lintel, and fireplace stair on its R-hand side; former cellar windows to front, now infilled. Upper storey has rooms with stop-chamfered spine beams. Attic of S room has pegged tie-beam trusses with collars, probably early C19, with hip-rafters at the corners.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* as a substantial medieval box-framed town-house, developed in the late C17, the interior retaining good detail from both these periods. Group value with surrounding listed buildings in Castle Street.