History

Originally Roberts & Co, and said to have been established in 1874 (date on building), probably as a chandlers. It is shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey. The shop front was renewed in the late C20.

Exterior

A 3-storey 3-bay shop of whitened rendered front, with rusticated quoins painted green, slate roof on a deep moulded corbel table and continuing to No 138 (and stone stack to the R removed). The shop front is brought forward, and is framed by fluted pilasters and a deep fascia incorporating awnings above the windows. The central recessed entrance has double glazed doors with faceted panels to the base, and overlight, with round-headed windows to the returns of the shop front. The shop windows have, R and L of the entrance a pair of 2-light shop windows, with round-headed thin glazing bars. In the middle storey are paired windows in the outer bays and single window in the central bay, each of them round-headed with moulded architraves, Corinthian capitals and keystones, and 2-pane sashes. In the upper storey are 4-pane horned sash windows in plain architraves.

The sides, behind the adjoining buildings, and rear are roughcast, painted white to the rear, and the roof is also hipped at the rear. Some small-pane sash windows are retained, but most windows are replacements in earlier openings. The rear has an external brick stack on the L side and a 1-storey lean-to.

Interior

The ground floor has unusually high ceilings, and is open, with the upper floors carried on cast iron posts. The dominant interior feature is the central full-height geometric stair with turned balusters and newels, and moulded tread ends. The ground floor retains some moulded ceiling cornices.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its special architectural interest as a substantial purpose-built shop retaining C19 external character and notable for its especially fine and unusual freestanding staircase.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29507040

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

• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)