Aberconwy House

Aberconwy House is a grade I listed building comprising a three-storey medieval structure substantially altered and extended during the 16th and 17th centuries.

The building is constructed of rubble stone at ground floor level, with timber-framing in the upper storeys. The roof is steeply pitched and now covered with slate, replacing the original stone tiles. A projecting lateral stack rises from the rear, and a central stone stack is positioned on the front roof slope.

The ground floor, which sits below modern street level, was originally used as a service room or rooms. Access is from the L end via a segmental-headed freestone doorway with replacement half-glazed boarded door and external steps. To the R of the main entrance is a 2-light leaded-casement window. A further 2-light window lies R of an external stair, beneath a renewed stone lintel. At the R end stands a probable original doorway with weathered dressed stone jambs and shouldered lintel under a relieving arch. A 2-light casement opening at pavement level indicates that this doorway has been raised above its original position. The ground floor contains three late 16th or 17th century cross beams with stopped chamfers. A corner fireplace is positioned to the L side of the rear wall, and a corbel in the gable end wall near the medieval opening facing Castle Street marks a significant structural point. The floor level documents its function as servicing the hall above.

Central external stone steps, added when the upper storey was inserted in the 16th or 17th century, lead to the first-floor entrance offset slightly L of centre. The entrance itself is 18th century in date, comprising a boarded door under a 2-pane overlight. To its L is a corbelled oriel window added when the additional storey was created, featuring a 3-light casement with window seats. To the R of the entrance is an unequal pair of 19th century sash windows of 8 and 12 panes respectively.

The first floor is now divided into two units by a timber-framed partition. The hall on the R side has a cross beam and dragon beam with heavy joists. The solar or kitchen at the upper end of the hall originally features one spine beam set on a corbelled bracket to the gable end wall, similar to the corbelled brackets supporting the jettied upper storey and probably re-used from there, along with heavy joists. Its lateral fireplace against the rear wall has a re-used timber lintel.

The second floor is jettied on corbelled brackets and is framed in Kentish style with large panels and arched braces. It contains three 2-light windows set in frames originally designed for 4-light diamond-mullion windows. The floor is divided into three rooms by 16th century partitions, one of which retains exposed wattle. The central room features a ceiling with a spine beam. The R gable end facing High Street has a 3-light first-floor window beneath a lintel, although both head and sill have been raised above their original level. A doorway cut down to the level of the main stair landing once rose higher, as evidenced by a raised bracket with wooden lintel beneath it; a 1956 photograph shows this doorway as blocked. The gable contains a closed truss and 2-light window matching those on the front.

Four roof trusses, including the High Street gable, have tie and collar beams, and the roof features one order of windbraces. The L gable end against No 4 High Street is of rubble stone with two blocked windows. A blocked window in the gable suggests a former attic storey, supported by evidence of two sawn-off spine beams in the L end truss.

The rear of the building is abutted by No 1 High Street, but on its R side a rubble-stone external stack is flanked by shallow outshuts.

The full-height stair, possibly occupying the position of an earlier stair, was part of a 1976 restoration and is executed in 17th century style with fretwork balusters. Windows throughout the building are mainly leaded-casements in wooden frames, mostly in earlier openings. The L gable end was originally lower than modern street level, evidence for which is a raised bracket with wooden lintel beneath it.