Siop Llyfr

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the top of the hill, at the E end of Upper Clwyd Street.

History

The building appears to have originated in the C16 or earlier as a cruck-framed hall house, and evidence of two cruck trusses have been found, suggesting a plan with cross-passage at west end. In the C17, the house was remodelled, with the insertion of a chimney into the former cross-passage, and the addition of a third unit to the right (below the former cross-passage). The house is thought then to have been framed with close-studding to front wall. In the mid C19, a flat-roofed projection was added against the left-hand (eastern) bay: this was probably associated with its use as a public house - it was the Spread Eagle Public House from at least 1792 until 1915, when it became a temperance hotel. It is now a bookshop with accommodation over.

Exterior

Two-storeyed, long 3-unit range with taller flat-roofed projection added to front of L unit, now containing the entrance; rear wing behind R-hand unit. The main range is lined-out render over timber-framing, on a plinth; slate roof, hipped to L end, with brick ridge stack to R of centre. Projecting bay to L is rendered with coped parapets over a saw-tooth brick cornice. This contains a boarded door to R and a fixed 16-pane window to L; small-pane top-hung window aligned above to upper storey. 2-window main range to right with 3-light wooden casement to L, and plain-glazed window to R. Upper storey has small-pane top-hung windows immediately under the eaves; skylights to R roof pitch. No openings to W gable end. Lower rendered 2-storey rear wing with entrance to W side: old boarded door to L in half-glazed wooden lean-to porch; to R, small-pane top-hung window to each storey; brick gable end.

Interior

Interior includes a ceiling with C17 detail, including medium-chamfered spine-beams with ogee stops, and some chamfered joists with decorative stops. Some alterations and patching to ceiling. Fireplace is extant but blocked.

Reason for designation

Listed for the special interest of its origins as a cruck-framed hall house, consistently remodelled in the C17, and retaining evidence of both periods, notwithstanding external alteration.