Nyth Aderyn, Tenby (Dinbych-y-pysgod), Pembrokeshire

History

Marine villa of 1883-4 by Ernest Newton of London for Arthur Sparrow of Preen Manor, Church Preen, Shropshire, in the style pioneered by Richard Norman Shaw in the 1870s at Bedford Park in London and elsewhere, known as 'Queen Anne'. Typical of the style, and seen here, are white-painted woodwork set against red brick or tile: tile-hung walls, big hipped roofs and large chimneys, the derivation being the early C18 vernacular of SE England. Sparrow, of a Wolverhampton industrial family, employed Shaw at Preen Manor c1870, and Newton was an assistant of Shaw, hence presumably this commission. The house is among Newton's first works in a distinguished career that continued into the 1920s. The house had big arch-panelled brick chimneys until 1967 but is otherwise intact. A dining-room addition not on the 1883 design seems to have been added very shortly after completion, possibly in 1888.
Originally called Sparrow's Nest, it was sold after Sparrow died in 1898 to G P Baker who changed the name. Sold c1954 to James family, and in 1966 to Alun and Joan Morgan. The published engraving of 1883 shows white wood fencing on brick walls similar to that at Bedford Park, though the house is to a larger scale than the villas there.

Exterior

House, red plain tiles to roofs and first floor walls, over painted stucco ground floor and basement. T-plan, the roofs gable-ended to front range, hipped to rear, with moulded timber eaves cornice. Roof tiles have been painted in a water-repellent coating. Basement, 2 storeys and attic. Windows are generally small-paned, casements in pairs or threes, the principal ones with top-lights, in large corniced bay windows on front, or smaller lights on the tile-hung walls with moulded cornices and fluted sides. There were very tall brick chimneys, two on rear-wall gables behind the front range and one on the centre of the ridge, removed in 1967.
Tile-hung upper floor with tiling swept out to shelter a balcony on the seaward front and the main entry on the W side of the rear wing. Moulded timber cornice at base of tile-hanging.
S front has 3 storeys as there is a full-height basement, with 3-storey canted bays each side of balcony at ground floor level and 2 small cross-windows surrounds at first floor. The bays are 5-sided with cornices over each floor, 1-1-3-1-1 lights with top-lights to main floors, the ground floor windows slightly longer, and 12-pane sashes to basement. Stucco below sills. The 3-bay centre balcony has turned balusters to rail with square posts carrying 2 turned bulbous columns, with capitals. Shallow elliptical arches to each bay. Centre door and casement pair to right onto balcony, slate paving. Basement has 2 8-pane sashes and moulded sill course.
W end is tile-hung, not interrupted by the main cornice which is stopped at SW corner. Triple casement to attic, windowless first floor. Stuccoed ground floor has inserted C20 window. Rear N gable of removed chimney stack and small dormer to left.
Rear wing is lower with broad hipped N gable and big hipped N end eaves dormer. W side has a 3-light flat-topped square bay with tiled apron to left and a small casement-pair under eaves to right, tile-hanging swept out over a ground floor 3-light square bay with top-lights, and doorway to right. Panelled and part-glazed door in moulded surround with scrolled panel above. White timber railings to slate bridge over basement area. End wall has 3-light to first floor, and 1-light and similar 3-light to dormer above. Cambered-headed 2-light to stuccoed ground floor.
E end of main range has 3-light to attic, and stuccoed dining-room addition with hipped roof. S side of addition has long cross-window and basement 3-light. Big E 5-sided 2-storey timber bay with cornice. NE angle has additions presumably to ease access to new dining room, stucco 2-storey.

Interior

Entry from W side into small lobby with half-glazed double doors and then into rear stair hall, with the two principal original rooms to the right, overlooking sea, a drawing-room to SW, the original dining room to SE, and the study in rear NW overlooking the entry. A new dining room was added beyond the original one, c1888. The kitchen and servants hall were originally in the basement.
The stair hall has fine staircase in 4 flights with big turned balusters and fluted bottom newel with ball finial. Pulvinated string and ramped thick rail, early C18 style. Fine heavy panelled doors in bolection-moulded surrounds. In the main rooms the window bays have surrounds with fluted pilasters on panelled bases, and the original dining room has a deep inglenook on N wall with flat lintel and similar pilaster framing. New dining-room has segmental arch over E window bay, and N fireplace with painted timber, earlier C18 style, chimneypiece, white marble surround to grate. SW drawing-room has door to balcony from bay window, fireplace removed. Steps to basement in NE rear added when dining-room was added, with turned balusters. First floor rooms have 2-panel doors.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a substantial house by one of the leading architects of the late C19 domestic revival.

External Links

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