Llanelly House is a grand mansion built in 1714 facing the parish church at the centre of what was then a small borough. The buildings to either side in Bridge Street (Nos. 6-8 - NPRN 17134) and Vaughan Street (Nos. 20-22) probably originated as service wings or offices. Vaughan Street did not exist at that time. There was a large and elaborate garden at the rear (NPRN 79040).

The house had been sold by the late eighteenth century and it was being divided into four properties in 1804. The grounds were opened as a pleasure garden in 1857, but were built over in the later 1860s. More recently the house had been used as shops and offices, including the Job Shop, but it has now benefited from a degree of restoration and restitution.

This is a three storey building. The main range faces Bridge Street and there is a rear cross wing and a partial parallel rear range. The former service wings are two or three storey.

The streetfront has a stuccoed seven bay facade with tall sash windows on each floor and matching blind panels in the parapet above, which is topped by eight elaborate urn finials. The centre and end bays project slighty and have prominent timber cornices between the first and second floors. A band runs across the whole facade at first floor level. The doorway is thought to have been moved from the centre bay and the western part of the ground floor is taken up by a modern shopfront. The side elevation to Vaughan Street again has a modern shopfront to the ground floor with two tall sash windows on each of the upper floor. Above this the parapet is ramped up at the centre and there all urn finials at the corners. There are fine lead rainwater heads and downpipes on the fromt and side elevation.

The interior retains many original features and fittings, doorways, panelling and fireplaces. The stairwell is especially grand and is overlooked by a classical arched opening.

Sources: NMR Site Files
CADW Listed Buildings Database (11892-6)

John Wiles 23.11.07

Additional: dendrochronology has been unsuccessful here. The roofs of the main 1714 range and the subsidiary range with scarfed crucks/principal rafters (set at right-angles to the principal range) were sampled in 2009 but did not date (reported in VA 41). Earlier (in 2008?) the Lampeter Dendro Lab took samples from the joist ends when the floor was being strengthened. The samples were unpromising and no results have been reported (ex inf Warwick Rodwell). RFS/RCAHMW