Powysland Museum (Town Wharf Warehouse)

History: Built as a warehouse by the Montgomeryshire Canal Company in 2 phases c1880, at what was then the main town wharf. Added to an earlier warehouse at the wharf, the remains of this earlier building have been built-over in more recent alteration work associated with the conversion of the building for use as a museum.

Exterior: Brick with stone dressings and hipped slate roofs, carried forward from the N range to form a deep canopy over the loading area. The building comprises 2 parallel ranges at right angles to the canal. The earlier N range has full-height loading bay (2 openings in pegged wood frame, now glazed) to right of N-facing elevation. 3-light stone mullioned window on each floor. Further loading door in upper storey in return elevation to W. Similar 3-light mullioned window on each floor in return elevation facing canal. Continuation of hipped roof forms canopy supported on timber posts and struts wrapped around the N and E elevations. Parallel S range has similar fenestration facing the canal and in its return elevation to the S.

Interior: N range of 4 bays with cast-iron columns and timber beams; king-post trusses with tension braces. S range of 3 bays, with cast-iron columns supporting timber beams, and braced king-post trusses.

An exceptionally good example of a late C19 canal warehouse.

Reference: Stephen Hughes, The Archaeology of the Montgomeryshire Canal, 1988, pp.77-81, 121-123.