Castle House, including railings and gates

Cadw's description

Location

Situated to W of access lane to Picton Court/Llys Picton.

History

Large end-terrace house of c. 1836, not marked on 1834 map. Picton Terrace was called a new street in 1833. Castle House was probably the house advertised in 1837 to let as an elegant and commodious house with dining-room, library, spacious entrance hall, first floor handsome drawing room, 7 bedrooms and basement. Interested parties were to apply to Thomas Rowlands, architect of Haverfordwest, who may therefore have designed the house. Roof timbers said to be dated 1836. Occupied in 1920s by H.E. Blagdon Richards JP.

Exterior

Substantial attached house, painted stucco and roughcast, with slate valley roof behind parapet and 2 stuccoed stacks to right end wall. Four storeys and basement, 3-window range, with recessed centre bay, channelled ground floor with raised sill course above, roughcast first and second floors, moulded cornice below plain attic storey with parapet. Attic has 3 square 6-pane sash windows, second floor 3 12-pane sashes, first floor has sashes with 6 panes in upper halves only to both outer bays, and ground floor has similar longer sash to right, with entrance to left. Two-storey late C19 canted bay window in centre with moulded cornice, panelled frieze, and top cast-iron low railing. Panels also between floors, and to pilasters between sashes with small-panes to top sash only. Recessed doorway to left up 6 steps bridging basement area. Five panel door with fielded panels, and overlight with glazing bars. Three basement 12-pane sash windows.
Right end wall has one small attic 4-pane sash; first and second floors painted roughcast, ground and basement painted stucco, basement raised as plinth. Rear elevation of stone rubble with red brick voussoirs to openings.
Front garden enclosed by dwarf stone wall with wrought iron railings with spiked finials and urn stanchions. Double gates to left with upswept top-rail, similar uprights and dog bars.

Interior

Open string staircase, stick balusters, tapered square newels and slender handrail. Tiled fireplace with pilastered wooden surround. Four- and six-panelled doors. Hall with ceiling cornice and depressed arch on wooden reeded pilasters; other rooms with reeded cornices. Panelled shutters.

Reason for designation

Included as a substantial earlier C19 house in late Regency style, part of a fine late Georgian suburban development.