History

Centre wing probably C18. Extended to left; the canopy and end windows are not shown on photo of c 1906 which also shows the main frontage of his wing of stone with brick dressings unrendered. At this time inn was The Blue Bell, with a large painted bell sign on rendered gable end at apex. Large barn visible behind wash-house wing. At listing in 1977, further ground floor windows were visible at front before canopy was filled in; further alterations to openings have also been made since. Welsh Sunday Closing Act did not apply to Monmouthshire prior to 1921 so inns at St Mellons did a good trade with visitors from Cardiff, the boundary between Monouthshire and Glamorgan being the nearby Rhymney River. Stable facilities were offered here and a pump is shown on OS map of 1880.

Exterior

Long inn. Of scored-rendered stone with mainly Welsh slate roof, pantiles to unit at right end; brick corniced ridge and end stacks, one lateral to rear. Range comprises 3 wings: the main centre wing; stepped down to left an added wing with lower eaves; small uphill wing to right with steeper roof pitch, attached single storey gabled cross wing with roof of unequal pitch, possibly a former wash-house, and further hipped roof single storey wing to rear with curved wall. Main centre unit has on upper storey a 3/3 pane casement to left and small 4/4 pane casement to right. Ground floor frontage mostly masked by later lean-to but one 4-pane sash to right. To left (SW) the lower 2- storey wing, 3- window range of plastic 4-pane windows, replacements for the former sashes, with slightly cambered heads, one similar to ground floor, the rest masked by lean-to; canopy continues round gable end wall to left. To rear, 2 replaced 4-pane windows under eaves of main range, one casement and one sash to ground floor.

Interior

Interior on different levels was partly refurbished with light oak panelling popular between the wars; brick-arched fireplace.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a traditional inn on an important thoroughfare in a prominent position. Group value with the adjacent White Hart Inn, Kingdom Hall and the War Memorial.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29491827

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

• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)