History

Opened in 1889; built to designs of Bruton and Williams, architects of Cardiff, for Cory Brothers Ltd. Adjoins Customs and Immigration building to left and the former Board of Trade building on Bute Place to right.

Exterior

Free Italianate Classical style with some Mannerist derived detail. 5-storey with asymmetrical 13-window ashlar front and channelled ground floor with granite plinth. Central section emphasised by giant order, part fluted, pilaster strips and stepped up parapet incorporating segmental pediment; similar pilasters to end bays. Ground, 2nd, 3rd & 4th storeys delineated by cornices (dentil to 2nd floor). Horned sash glazing; some with bracket cornices and volutes. Either side of central columns with elaborately foliated bulbous bases; these floors are then linked to central bay by coffered giant arch, with foliated spandrels, carried on paired pilasters and flanking a splayed bay window with open pediment. Similar splayed oriels to 1st floor of flanking sections; paired segmental headed windows to end bays and camber headed windows in squared recesses to ground floor. Central entrance with Grecian brackets to stout balustrade, urn finials and inscribed entablature; recessed doorway. Left hand is red brick with stone banding. The corner to right is set back to top 2 floors, rounded below and dated 1889 to 2nd floor. 2 1-window right hand side adjoining the former Board of Trade building; the right hand bay is slightly stepped back. Similar window treatment; round arched recess to 1st floor containing aedicule and oculus; swags over semicircular-headed entrance with panelled double doors.

Interior

Retains openwell stairs with arabesque ornamented iron balustrade; moulded handrail, scrolled to base. Some windows have small-pane glazed shutters (secondary casement glazing).

Reasons for Listing

Prominently sited elaborate commercial building for important Cardiff family business. Group value.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29491853

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
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  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback