Gwy House (Chepstow Museum)

Small town mansion. Painted roughcast with ashlar dressings, slate roof behind a parapet with stone coping; rendered stacks with decorative chimney pots. Two storeys, 5- window range of recessed wood frame double casements with hinged transom lights; centre 3-window bay breaks forward slightly and has pediment with deeply moulded stone cornice. Ground floor has central projecting semi-circular portico on four paired Roman Doric columns, triglyph frieze, moulded cornice, blocking course, plain pilasters to wall, semi-circular stone steps up to square-headed doorway with side-lights and double half-glazed and leaded doors incorporating decorative coloured glass with floral motifs; 2 similar casement windows to each side. Stone plinth, platband at first floor level: these two plus sillband and cornice continue to side elevations. Uphill side elevation has semicircular ground floor bay window comprising multipane lights with margin glazing under a deep entablature with fluted surround. Downhill side elevation has corbelled out first floor bay window,

Converted to a Museum, but retaining its original plan. Doorway has inner basket-arch, shutters to side lights. Bow-sided vestibule; basket-arches to rectangular lobby and staircase hall; black and white terrazzo floor. Plasterwork mouldings including cornices and friezes with acanthus, palmette and key pattern motifs. Doorcases with fluted architraves incorporating rosettes; 6-panelled doors with panelled reveals. Bow-backed stairwell; cantilevered stone staircase with open decorative shallow treads, wreathed and ramped polished wood handrail, slender iron balusters, every third one enriched with scrolls and leaf motifs; roll- mouldings to underside of stairs. Lighting the staircase from above is a central oval panelled domed rooflight.