A townhouse dating to the mid or earlier, sixteenth century, modified in the early seventeenth century and in 1824, when it was divided into three separate dwellings. The name, "Buckingham Place", dates only to 1860.
The sixteenth century house comprised at least two ranges, the western part of what is now No. 3 and a block to the north-west, now No. 1. These were joined by a building of which some vestiges remain. The main block had a first floor hall and may have had a staircase to the rear, reached by a passage from the original doorway, now blocked. The north-west block could have been a kitchen, parlour, or banqueting house.
In the early seventeenth century the main range was extended to the east with what may have been a kitchen. Several blocked windows and external relieving arches, remain from this phase. Internally two large stone fireplaces and certain moulded ceiling beams, are attributed to the seventeenth century. The house subsequently went into a decline and was used as a meeting house in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century.
In 1824 the house was divided into two residences, No. 2 being built between them. A three storey kitchen block was added to the east end of the rear of No. 3. Sash windows were inserted together with a new doorway sheltered by a columned porch.
An extensive garden to the rear of Nos. 2-3 is depicted in some detail on the first edition of the OS Town Plan of Brecon (1888). The remains of the medieval Lower Water Gate (NPRN 305721) was included in the southern garden wall (NPRN 25182).
The stable block to the east (NPRN 405754) can be associated with No 3.

Sources: Jones & Smith, 'The Houses of Breconshire III', Brycheiniog XI (1965), 19-24;
CADW Listed Buildings Database (6828, 85742, 85745)

John Wiles 13.02.07