24 Vaughan St / Bridge St, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire

History

Dated 1714 on rainwater head. The building was built for Sir Thomas Stepney (1688-1744) 5th Baronet, who acquired by marriage the Llanelly estate of the Vaughans of Golden Grove, but it appears to have been sold by latter part of the C18 and have fallen into disrepair before being bought circa 1825 by William Chambers, founder of the South Wales Pottery 1839. It originally had extensive grounds behind, to the River Lliedi (Stepney Street/Park Street). These opened as a pleasure garden 1857 and were built over from the later 1860s. A Llanelli Chronicle p 66 shows the Vaughan Street wing in 1863 before the building of the street. Former town house of the Stepney family and the most outstanding domestic building of its early Georgian type to survive in South Wales.

Exterior

Stucco over rubble stone with low-pitched slate roof behind parapet. Three storeys, 7 bays with 3 forward breaks in 1-2-1-2-1 arrangement, the upper floors very little altered, the ground floor considerably re-arranged. Rendered stacks to left and centre, formerly a third to right, with evidence of originally having been of red brick and arcaded. Upper floors have small-paned long sashes with exposed boxes, some still original, 18-pane sashes to the first floor, 24-pane to top floor with oblong blank panels above and painted stone moulded coping with 7 ornate stone urns, the centre 2 more elaborate. The 3 projected bays have very ornate painted timber carved modillion cornices below second floor sills.
Ground floor is altered but a stone string course survives over first 3 bays and the openings are in original positions, but 20 Century plate glass windows to first 2 in moulded stucco surrounds, probably C19, and modern door with overlight in plain timber architrave to third bay. Centre bay has off-centre 18-pane sash, to right is tall door with fielded panels and glazed top panel, also not aligned with window above, and last 2 bays have late 19tháCentury glass shopwindow of 2-panes with slim column shafts. All the last 4 bays are framed in late C19 applied shopfront of fluted Corinthian pilaster each end and long entablature. The facade is even across the 4 bays, the recession of the fifth and sixth bays being lost in the alterations. The door has probably been moved from centre bay position and may be original, though altered in top panel.
Facade has 2 symmetrically placed lead downpipes with rainwater heads, fixing brackets and the pipes themselves of exceptional quality. Pipe to left is complete, that to right survives except to ground floor. 1714 date beneath heads. West end wall has parapet ramped up to centre, corner urns, two 15-pane upper windows, one similar to first floor left, blank window to right and ground floor late C19 shopfront matching that on main front. Matching lead rainwater head and pipe.

Nos 20 and 22 Vaughan Street is the former rear wing of Llanelly House, projecting slightly forward of main house end wall, 2 storeys, stuccoed, with slate roof, brick south end stack and brick stack on rear east roof. Four original 15-pane large sashes with stone sills to first floor. Ground floor wholly altered by circa 1980 double shopfront with polished black and grey stone cladding and metal-framed windows.

Interior

Despite years of neglect LLanelly House still contains very extensive areas of original panelling, extending over almost the entire first floor, including the Vaughan Street wing. Tall fielded panels over moulded dado rail with fielded panels below, fielded panelling also to window seats throughout. Simple moulded cornices. Main first floor front room, of 4 bays has complete panelling but later C18 fireplaces. South fireplace wall has fluted pilasters. East end of first floor and second floor of main house not inspected, but first floor corridor has 3 fine panelled and moulded arches with fluted pilasters, panelled spandrels, keystones and cornices. Wide stair hall built in angle behind 2 ranges has rich modillion cornice in timber and plaster, second floor gallery with original bobbin-turned balusters but open-well main stair itself appears to be of later date, though a fine moulded and panelled arched doorway on east side of half-landing appears original as does as similarly detailed but narrow viewing archway on west wall, now blanked off behind bobbin-turned balustrade. Vaughan Street wing has one small panelled room with one window to Vaughan Street and 3 painted grisaille over-door panels, and one larger room to south, 2-window, fully panelled, original south wall fireplace with pulvinated laurel-leaf frieze. Panelled doors to recessed cupboard to right. Later staircase in south east angle down to ground floor. Behind smaller panelled room is stair to attic, not inspected.
Ground floors are more fragmentary, but a considerable amount survives. In main range, left room appears to have most of panelling surviving behind modern boxing and painted overmantel is revealed with idealised coastal scene, classical temples and British fleet. A moulded plaster ceiling was accidentally destroyed 1990. The passage in third bay is plain and the remaining 4 bays, presumably the original entrance hall and large north west room are a single shop, with original panelling on east wall, one moulded and panelled archway on east wall adjoining the similar south wall archway through to stair hall. Ceilings are divided into panels by plastered beams with some, probably original, simple decoration to panels. Further panelling and a large fireplace survives in Noá22áVaughan Street, boxed in.
The building requires further historic and archaeological investigation, but appears internally to contain to a remarkable extent the original fittings of a major early C18 house.

Reasons for Listing

Grade I for the unique quality and historic importance of this townhouse in Wales.

Group value.

External Links

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