15&17 Victoria Place

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at E end of terraced row Nos 1-17 Victoria Place, overlooking the New Bridge.

History

Part of a development at the entrance of the town by William Owen including the New Bridge and two terraces facing each other, now Nos 1 to 17 Victoria Place, completed in 1839. Part of the terrace, especially the eastern end, may date from before then. (See early C19 prints). The town improvements began as a result of a special Act of Parliament of 1835, but the terraces were named in commemoration of the accession of Queen Victoria in June 1837. The N terrace is plainer than that on the S which is of 19 bays with giant pilasters framing narrow alternate bays with arched doorways. Houses are mostly two-bay with narrow entrance bay to right, but No 1 differs, with canted corner to Quay St. No 7, Lloyds Bank, originally two houses was much altered in 1893. No 9 was the centre with the date plaque 1839. Nos 15 and 17 are joined, No 17 with a chamfered corner and elevation to the river. No 15 was occupied by Mrs Muriel Owen, ladies' outfitter, in 1926.

Exterior

Pair of terraced houses, now commercial premises, painted stucco, with slate mansard roofs behind parapet and red brick ridge stacks. Three storeys, two two-bay fronts each with giant pilasters framing narrow right bay (right pilaster actually part of No 13) and single plainer pilaster at left. Pilasters framing the entrance bays have simple stepped caps and plinths, pilaster on left has no cap. Entablature with deep frieze and simple cornice, broken forward over left pier and the two narrow bays. Parapet also broken forward. Windows are sashes with narrow marginal panes: narrower to the entrance bays and longer on the first floor than above. Ground floor has square shop window to No 17 of 24 panes and a recessed C20 bowed shop window to No 15 on brick base, with fascia over the recess carried on scrolled iron brackets. The two arched doorways have radiating-bar fanlight over heavy 2-panel door (that on No 15 a near replica with thicker fanlight bars).
Canted corner to the New Bridge has similar cornice and parapet, and blind openings each floor, the ground floor one arched. The elevation to the river, of three bays has a very long arched blind panel over a blind window, in centre, flanked by sash windows with marginal glazing bars each floor. Frieze, cornice and parapet carried around. Basement storey has arched doorway to centre and low cambered-headed small-paned sash to left.

Interior

Ground floor altered.

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as part of a good classical stuccoed terrace, Nos 1-17 Victoria Place.