History

Lexden Terrace is the finest of the Tenby terraces. Nos 1-5 were built in 1843 to 1845; No 6, Lexden House, is slightly later, but complete by 1850.
Lexden House was built at No 6 Lexden Terrace by Rachel Williams, around 1848, and used as a lodging house. It was sold in 1867 to Charles Smith, a Llansamlet mine-owner and former sheriff of Glamorgan, who gave the house its present name. Smith also bought and demolished an adjacent property, improving access and gaining a garden. The house was bought in 1900 by Dr Edward Mansell Bryant, a surgeon and inventor, and stayed in the same family until 1991.

Exterior

The sixth house of a stuccoed terrace of 6 houses. Each house of 3 storeys and basement, 2 bays, flanked by giant Ionic pilasters on upper 2 floors, rising from band over ground floor. Extra pilaster between Nos 5 and 6, No 6 being slightly wider. Full entablature with moulded cornice and parapet, slate roofs and brick chimneys. Twelve-pane sashes to upper floors, ground floor openings not aligned on Nos 1-5, with door to left and tripartite sash to right with unusual glazing pattern of marginal panes around an elongated octagon. No 6 has channelled ground floor with the openings aligned, and door of 2 long panels with overlight traceried to match ground floor window, in panelled reveal. Porch up flight of 6 steps, of 2 stucco Ionic columns and C20 wood cornice (formerly a castellated stucco top). To left end wall of a small lean-to brick addition has a Tudor-arched door with studded cover strips.
Area is broader than those of other houses and has similar iron spearhead railings, similar also to those before Nos 1-3 Rock Houses and No 10 Bellevue, and to those to forecourt.
Left end wall of 5 apparent storeys has parapet between 2 brick stacks, 12-pane sash windows to top floor left, 2nd and 1st floors centre, ground floor and basement obscured by stuccoed large lean-to, with ground floor centre door with traceried overlight within. Lean-to has casement pair to top left, conservatory glazing to top centre, and 2 large cambered arched recesses to basement left and centre, the centre one with recessed half-glazed door. Small sash to right.
Rear has parapet, 2 12-pane sashes to 2nd floor, and first floor balcony with decorative cast-iron railings, pierced open-work uprights and lead tent awning. French windows within. Large conservatory to ground floor, rebuilt in 1990s.

Interior

Said to have particularly good interior including plaster groin vault to vestibule with engaged corner columns. Oval well stair with niches.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* as part of the finest terrace in Tenby.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17743640

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)