8 Pencei (Cornhill)

Cadw's description

Location

In a block on the W side of Cornhill.

History

Cornhill is the group of buildings around the original Porthmadog harbour (Cornhill Wharf), which was built 1821-4. It became the commercial centre of the port and in 1833 Samuel Lewis noted that 'many good houses have been built, and a considerable trade is now carried on'. Buildings in Cornhill included houses, shops, bank, offices and workshops. In 1886 there were sail makers, 2 block and spar makers, 2 public houses, 4 grocers, butcher, ironmonger and a shipsmith. In addition, the Bwlch-y-Slate Quarry Co, Carnarvonshire & Merionethshire Steamship Co, Workmen's Benefit Building Society, Davies Brothers Slate Merchants, Parry & Co and Prichard Brothers ship brokers all had offices in Cornhill.

Nos 8-10 Cornhill were built as a single block in the 2nd quarter of the C19, and are shown on the 1842 Tithe map, 1871 Tremadog estate plan and the 1885 harbour survey. The block is shown subdivided in its present form on the 1888 Ordnance Survey. Nos 8 and 9 have openings above ground level indicating commercial or industrial use.

Exterior

A 3½-storey 2-window house roofed in a single range with Nos 7-10, but separated from the later No 7 by a full-height vertical joint. Of large slate-stone blocks laid in regular courses, slate roof with added skylights, and shared stone stacks. Openings are offset to the R. The main entrance is on the R, which has a replacement half-glazed boarded door in an unusually wide doorway. To its L another doorway has been converted to a window. Middle and upper storeys have 4-pane horned sash windows, of which the R-hand in each storey was originally a doorway. The rear has replacement windows.

Interior

The lower storey, said to have formerly been a shop, is now a single room. It has a wooden newel stair to the middle storey, probably either re-used or re-set. The middle storey is 2 rooms deep, the partition between which retains a small-pane window, and the front room has a slate fireplace lintel. The dog-leg-stair to the upper storey is later. The roof has 2 purlins on each side.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as a part of a prominent harbour-side terrace notable for its distinctive use of local stone and of definite C19 regional character, and for its contribution to the historical integrity of Porthmadog harbour.