History

With number 1 and Manor house, part of the former House of Correction, thought to date from the earlier to mid C18, but much altered in use, in the C19 and since converted into three dwellings. Manor House was from the mid C19 until 1937 the Police Station. There appears to have been a County Gaol on the Castle Terrace site from c. 1735, these buildings called the House of Correction or Bridewell appear to have been the local gaol. The two were run by the same gaoler in 1816, paid £78 for the gaol and £20 for the House of Correction. It is described in reports of 1792 and 1803 and in 1803 held two prisoners and was described as having one courtyard only, a dungeon 4m x 2.8m (13' x 9'3") down nine steps with whipping post, two middle-sized rooms with four wooden beds and loose straw. Seven people at a time had been kept in the dungeon and as many in the two rooms. Marked on 1833 map as owned by Lord Powis, and on 1839 tithe map as two properties Manor House occupied by George Weaver and Blackhall Cottages occupied by Henry Smith., which suggests that gaol use had ceased. There is a straight joint between the two ranges which suggests that Blackhall Cottages was the original. The underground cell is under the canted E end, now No 2.

Exterior

Blackhall Cottages is a range running E-W with canted E end (now part of No 2), rubble stone, painted on No 1, which has painted brick W end wall to the road. Slate hipped roof with deep flat eaves of earlier C19 type, red brick stacks with raised band on W end wall and on ridge between Nos 1 and 2. Two storeys. S front is mostly No 1 with just right bay and canted end part of No 2. No 1 is much altered. First floor has a large cross-window to left of centre and three small rectangular single casements to right. Ground floor left had a door with brick cambered head flanked by two small windows with stone voussoirs to heads, the door now a cross-window and the little windows now blocked. The three bays to centre and right, aligned with the small upper windows have doorway and two inserted modern windows. The doorcase has plain pilasters and frames half-glazed door with blocked overlight.
No 2 is not whitewashed. One window each floor with cambered heads and stone voussoirs: modern casement pairs, the lower one with top light (both openings blocked in brick 1983). Doorway to right with modern panelled doors in modern pedimented doorcase (ledged door with stone voussoirs 1983). The E end is three-sided with similar window each floor in SE and NE canted sides, windowless E facet. The rear has added later C19 stone wing, single storey with slate roof, terracotta ridge tiles and blue brick ridge stack on axis. Windowless E wall and N gable end with cambered-headed door to right.

Interior

In the still extant underground cell in this part, prisoners were kept in irons.

Reasons for Listing

Included for historic interest as the former House of Correction, retaining overall form and some detail of the C18 and C19.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29507806

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.

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