Westmead

Cadw's description

Location

On the corner of Parc Howard Avenue and Felinfoel Road, overlooking Parc Howard.

History

Built 1926-7, to designs by W Griffiths and Son, architects, of Llanelli, for Stanley Pearce, a businessman of the town. Documents in the possession of the owner detail the main contractors, as well as the suppliers of lighting, heating and sanitary fittings, and shed light on the context of building, which was initially hampered by the general strike.

Exterior

House in Queen Anne style. 2 storeyed, 3-bay elevations, slightly canted in plan to accommodate to constricted site. Red brick in Flemish bond, with banded angle pilasters. Red plain tiled hipped roof with pronounced bell-cast at eaves and modillion cornice. 2 angled tall brick stacks with moulded caps.

Elevation to Parc Howard Avenue has central entrance with 6-panelled door with transomed side-lights in moulded architrave with segmental hood. Flanking windows are square bays, each with 3x8-pane sash windows. To the right, this continues to first floor, with tile-hung panel between the storeys, and steep pediment with modillion cornice above. Single sash window above the door, paired 8-pane sash windows to upper left, all with rubbed brick heads.

Elevation to Felinfoel Road is symmetrically arranged with 2 square full-height bays each with 3x8-pane sash windows, tile-hanging between the storeys and steep pediments with modillion cornice. These flank small 8-pane sash windows on each floor, with rubbed brick heads.

Interior

Doorway opens onto small inner lobby with mosaic tiled floor and stained glass (including heraldic emblem) to inner doorway and flanking panels. Central entrance hall and stair well, wrapped round by principal rooms to right and rear, and by kitchen to left; small cloak-room alongside entrance. Staircase rises through three storeys: tall square newels, flat balusters, intermittently pierced, and scrolled tread-ends. Hall has wood-grained finish to dado panelling and doorways. Doors are mainly 3 panelled with tall lower panels and overlights. Other internal joinery includes deep skirting boards, and oak boarded floors. Drawing room to right has tiled fireplace in bolection-moulded surround with shouldered architrave; picture rail. Rear room (formerly the dining room) also has tiled fireplace, with reeded pilasters to architrave and 3-panelled overmantle. Window seats. French doors at rear with stained glass.

Upstairs, original joinery also survives, as does bathroom with original tile-work. Principal bedrooms have original basins in marble surrounds.

Reason for designation

Listed as an exceptionally good example of an ambitious inter-war suburban house, employing a careful Queen-Anne revival style, with high-quality detail. The house is remarkably well-preserved, and retains most of its original detail both internally and externally.