2 buildings of 3-storeys, linked together.
The building facing Queen Street is of stone with brick work and has an early C19th king-post tie-beam roof. It has thick battered stone walls to cellar, of possibly late medieval date and a lower steep roof-line scar to N-W gable. The shop front has surviving mid C19th sash shutters that lowered into the basement when open.
Spilman Street building is of brick, probably early C19th with raking struts to tie-beam roof. It has a central entry with stair projection opposite.
G A Ward, 18/07/2001

Substantial early C19 former Lion Royal Hotel. Two ranges, The Mount with No 18 Queen Street to right, with mid C19 shopfront.
The Mount, c.1802-4 of red brick, replaces a building shown on 1786 map displaced by the road alterations during the building of John Nash's gaol 1789-92 and the laying out of the new street at Gaol Hill, now Castle Hill in 1804.
No 18 Queen Street was the White Lion Hotel, mentioned in the rate books for 1802, and altered in 1812 when The Mount was amalgamated. There are signs that No 18 incorporates part of a building that may have had a jettied (late medieval to early C17) timber front, and the cellars may once have been an exterior yard in the ditch of Carmarthen Castle. There seems to have been a time when No 17 also was joined as there are blocked doors in No 18. The front to Queen Street has a very unusual shutter to the shop window that dropped into the cellar.
The main front to Castle Hill is shown on a White Lion bill-head dated 1815 much as at present. Renamed the Lion Royal Hotel possibly in expectation of a visit from George IV in 1821. By later C19 the Lion Temperance Hotel, converted in 1907 to premises of John Francis, estate agents. Originally The Mount was of red brick, stuccoed in later C19 photographs, with shallow timber bays each side of the door, and double flight of steps up to the door.

Two adjoining buildings of separate construction, both formerly painted rendered, but render partially removed to reveal that larger west range is of Flemish bond brick, and smaller corner range to Queen Street is of rubble stone with some brick patches. Close-eaved slate roofs, the main house with left end brick stack, the lower range with roof hipped on Queen Street corner.
The Mount has south front of 3 bays with plate glass sashes to first floor, square C20 plate glass windows on top floor, and tripartite sash window each side of a narrow round-arched doorway with plain fanlight and 6-panel C19 door. Left end wall has asymmetrical gable, the rear roof slope lower, and small 4-pane sash to attic. Ground floor has window cut into round-arch of a former doorway. Straight joint to added rear lean-to. Rear has tall 3-storey stair tower to centre, English bond brickwork, with gabled roof parallel to main roof and 2-storey added lean-tos each side. Stair tower has small window under eaves and very long 24-pane main stair light with small-panes and cambered brick head
(Source; Cadw listing database) S Fielding RCAHMW 10/08/05

















Range to E, No 18, has S elevation of 2 bays, the left bay close to corner of The Mount, suggesting that this part is an addition or later refronting. Sash windows, 4-pane on second floor and with margin lights on first and ground floors.
Queen Street elevation of 3 bays, stuccoed with both brick and stone exposed where stucco has eroded. Right end brick stack. Smaller 4-pane sash windows on second floor, sash windows with margin lights on first floor, the left one enlarged to double width and ground floor mid C19 shop front. Shop front has 4 timber pilasters framing 2 large windows and centre door. Pilasters carry deep frieze and cornice extended slightly beyond each outer pilaster on a small scrolled bracket. Windows each of 5 transomed lights with thin timber column mullions each with a capital between little spandrel brackets which give a shaped head to each light. Flush-panelled 6-panel door with overlight.