26 Cowell Street

Nos 24 and 26 Cowell Street (East side)

Ground floor is almost entirely destroyed to No 26 (the former South Wales Union Bank premises) but most of narrow shopfront to right (No 24) survives with pilaster piers and curved glass shopwindow. Former elliptical arch above may survive under C20 fascia. Old photographs show a highly ornate 2-bay centre with panelled piers, elliptical arched windows and moulded frieze, probably in glazed or semi-glazed tile. To right was shopfront, much as survives, and to left was matching narrower arched doorway to bank of which nothing survives.

Upper floors have centre piece of first floor oriel window set between centre pair of 4 very ornate carved timber brackets carrying carved and painted timber frieze, then tile-hung second floor and attic, each with 2 windows, coved plaster cornice over second floor and keyed roundel in attic gable. First floor is roughcast and oriel is of late C17 vernacular type, essentially a Venetian window but with top-lights to outer lights, and all with very small panes. This same window type is repeated on second floor but smaller and flush, while attic has small-paned casement pairs each with a double-curved pediment. Apex roundel had glazing bars and floral festoon decoration originally. Gable bargeboards and metal sunflower finial. Side bays are varied, the right bay has one window each floor similar to those on second floor of centre, coved eaves, and a small-paned flat dormer in roof, while narrow left bay has 2-storey canted oriel continued up to belvedere turret with octagonal tiled roof and sunflower finial. Oriel has small-paned windows with top-lights to 2 main floors, tile-hanging, and turret has arch-headed small-paned windows to 3 sides, moulded timber cornice and bell-cast steep tiled roof.