Clwyd Bank

Location

Located towards the lower part of the street

History

A large symmetrical C17 timber-framed building, originally with a lobby-entrance. Joseph David Jones, musician and composer, established the Clwyd Bank Academy here. At a later date, Clwyd Bank was a farm-house, with outbuildings, now garages, to the rear. The house is now divided.

Exterior

32 and 34 Clwyd Street form a group.

Large 5-window range with central gabled porch wing, of 2 storeys with attics. Roughcast over timber-framing on a plinth, under a slate roof with central clustered brick stack. The W gable end is random stone, with a brick stack. To each side of the porch wing is a high gabled attic dormer with small triangular iron-glazed window, and scalloped barge boards. Rear, partly seen, is roughcast, with 3 gabled wings, that to centre probably C19, those flanking, late C20.

No 34 is located to the L of the porch wing and is a 2-window range with central entrance. The windows are small-pane horizontal sliding sashes with margin glazing, probably early C19. Entrance has late C20 half-glazed door with overlight, under a gabled porch canopy supported on narrow timber posts, with scalloped barge boards. Very small attic dormer with 2-light casement between larger dormer and porch wing. West gable end has inset small-pane window to R of ground floor. Single-storey wing continuous to L with small 2-light casement under segmental head of stone voussoirs. To rear, C20 gabled wing with doorway and small-pane top-hung windows. Fronting the house, and adjoining the former porch wing to R, are iron forecourt railings on a dressed stone plinth, with single gate opposite entrance.

Interior

Interior has 2-unit plan with C17 detail. Living room inside entrance has ceiling with 2 medium-chamfered spine-beams with ogee stops. Large fireplace to L, infilled with a modern fireplace. Opposite, box-framed partition with wattle and daub panels, and former doorway to L infilled with brick. Staircase reached by a corridor to rear of living room, effectively a winding stair to R of fireplace. Kitchen in C20 rear wing. First floor has medium-chamfered spine-beams and plain joists. Attic has substantial tie-beam trusses with cambered collars. The dormers are of small-scantling timber-framing, possibly C19.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* for its exceptional architectural interest as a large C17 timber-framed lobby-entrance town-house, retaining good detail, the symmetrical plan-form with central porch-wing suggesting an element of renaissance planning.