Siop Clwyd

Cadw's description

Location

On the street line.

History

Siop Clwyd is of particular interest as one of only 2 buildings in the town which still overtly display their timber-framed structure (the other being the much-altered No.2 Love Lane). The building has a jettied, timber-framed first floor above a rubble ground floor, both aspects featured in other surviving medieval town buildings in north Wales (such as Ty Aberconwy, Conwy, and a house in High Street, Beaumaris). Of interest also is the use of close-studding, rather than box-framing, which suggests an earlier, rather than later date. It is probable that the building, like its near neighbour the Golden Lion inn, is of late C15 date, though it is conceivable that it has earlier origins. In the building's probable original arrangement the front section would have served as a shop with chamber above behind which was a 2-bay open hall. This was subdivided in the C17, perhaps at the same time a chimney was inserted (recorded as bearing the date 1663). To the rear of the hall was an unheated parlour which retains its primary ceiling with a finely-moulded lateral beam; above this was the Solar.

The (partly-colonnaded) island row to which this building belongs is shown in John Speed's 1610 map of Denbigh and represents late and post-medieval encroachment onto the market place. This feature is known locally as the Piazza, or 'Y Bylciau' and implies a conscious urbanity and unity of intention which reflects Denbigh's growing significance and self-assurance during the Tudor period.

Exterior

Long 2-storey late-medieval house and shop with narrow gabled facade. Of close-studded, timber-framed construction, partly with limestone rubble walls to the rear section; modern slate roof with simply-moulded bargeboards. Tall brick lateral chimney. The front gable has jettying to the first floor and gable above. Modern shop front with entrance to the R, and a plain-glazed modern 2-light window to the first floor. The rear gable has a jettied upper floor supported on a double-curved green sandstone corbels on the R. Modern entrance (boarded door) to the ground-floor L, with modern 3-light windows to both floors; the ground floor has later rubble infill. The right-hand side wall (W) is full height to the rear section and has a blocked-up 4-light wooden mullioned window to the former Solar. The L (E) side has a similar blocked early window to its timber-framed upper floor. To the L of this are 2 small primary windows, one to each floor and both walled-up; these have chamfered sandstone reveals. It is possible that they originally lit an internal stair.

Interior

The former shop (front room) has a simply-moulded, stopped-chamfered lateral beam with plain, flat ceiling joists, all of early Tudor character. Beyond this the floor level drops by approximately 1m to the rear section. This has a C17 ceiling sub-dividing the former hall, with stopped-chamfered main beam and plain joists. The rear chamber, formerly the parlour, has a fine moulded and broach-stopped lateral main beam supporting finely stopped-chamfered joists, close-framed and flat-set in the late medieval manner.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as an early Tudor timber-framed building in a prominent location within the centre of the town.

Group value with other listed items on High Street.