63 Main Street

Cadw's description

Location

On the S side of Main Street some 80m W of its W junction with East Back.

History

Former Pembroke Savings Bank, built c. 1875-80. The Savings Bank bought premises on the site in 1873 and presumably rebuilt shortly afterward. The premises are in a distinctive Victorian Gothic style in heavily detailed grey limestone. The Pembroke Savings Bank was in existence in 1830 and in 1873 the Trustees including the Rev. William Bowling, rector of Cosheston, Henry Leach of Corston, Lewis Mathias of Lamphey Court, the Rev. John Phelps of Carew, Nicholas A. Roch of Paskeston and Morgan Saurin of Orielton bought premises on this site for £240 from John Hitchings. The premises described as a dwelling-house with store, armoury and offices, occupied by William Paddon, had been bought by Hitchings in 1858 from Sir William Domvile and John Graham, and had been part of the Orielton estate, sold in 1857, probably lot 45, as this had a store and armoury. The architect of the building may be K. W. Ladd of Pembroke Dock.

Exterior

Former Savings Bank, now shop. Rock-faced grey limestone with tooled grey limestone dressings, slate roof and large grey stone end stacks. Stacks have bases sloped to front and back with rolled angles, string course under tall rectangular shafts with tooled chamfered angles, moulded coved cornice and cap with row of 8 chimney pots. Coped end gables. Two storeys and basement. Gothic style. Pointed openings with smooth tooled chamfered surrounds, thick tooled grey stone sills to windows, pyramid stops to doors. Four first floor windows in two pairs, aligned to right, segmental-pointed heads, and 4-pane sashes. Ground floor has raised chamfered plinth dropped for doors in first and third bays (the latter altered to window), first door, aligned to left of first window above, is broader. The other door has been altered to a window, the second window is aligned between first pair above, the former door and the window to right are aligned with the pair of windows above. Ground floor openings have pointed heads and eroding stone recessed head in each apex. Six-panel door and overlight and C20 plate glass sashes. Eroding string course between floors, sandstone eaves course, the lower part chamfered. Wall on left is partly built over end wall of No 65. Rubble stone end walls.
Rear is roughcast with C20 windows in long openings, three to first floor right, a door to a fire-escape and smaller window to left. Two windows to ground floor, not aligned, and full-height basement below.

Interior

Interior of ground floor altered as shop.

Reason for designation

Included as a Victorian Gothic bank building of definite character, built to a scale unusual in the town.