82210

 

II  

Designated  

28/11/2003  

28/11/2003  

Towy Works  

 

Carmarthenshire  

Carmarthen  

 

 

241326  

219891  

 

Situated on the quayside by the Towy Bridge.  

Commercial  

 

Builders merchants premises by George Morgan & Son built in 1907-9 for James Davies. The original ironmongers business was established at 109 Lammas St in 1795 by John David, his son Thomas David died in 1864 and the business continued under J.J. Morris before James Davies took over in 1875. James Davies rebuilt the business on a much larger scale, manufacturing ironmongery and tinware, and operating as plumbers, heaters and general engineers. The Lammas St premises were enlarged and large showrooms built in Old Station Road opposite the old railway station in 1890, enlarged 1892, also by G. Morgan. The present premises were described as ''an eighth wonder of the world'' in 1909. Davies retired in 1910 and the business has continued since in other hands, Harries and later McCall, one of the oldest in the town. The construction is of rendered brick and the building was bedecked with enamelled metal advertising plaques (since replaced). There was a manager's flat on the top floor. The premises were extended to the W in 1920 to designs by P.J. Williams, for motor repairs.  

Builders merchants premises, stripped modern style, white-painted render with flat roof and iron rail. Three storeys and basement, 6 bays, the sixth to right half-width, and also narrow blank bay each end. Bays are divided by piers, with first floor double band and second floor cornice broken forward over piers. Between upper floors, double band between piers only. Parapet divided by flat-capped piers. Ground floor sill band also broken forward over piers. Sash windows in pairs to upper floors and large square shop-window to ground floor. The sashes have small panes to top sash only. The shop-windows are divided into 4 by thin mullion and transom. The 6th bay has one sash each floor and narrow shop window. Basement entries under left 2 bays. Large lettered panels in parapet and between double bands over first and ground floors, panels originally enamelled metal, replaced in plastic. Main entry in one-bay E end wall with matching angle piers but openings at different levels to light stairs and parapet curves up over plaque with Towy works Limited. Broad double doors with pilaster sides and framed plaque over. First floor short 3-light window in moulded shouldered surround and large upper 3-light window with top-lights, in similar surround. Lettered panels over each level. The extension to the left of 1920 is a modernist grid of 3 storeys and 5-window range, large windows with small-paned glazing, plain piers between, ground floor later double-bay entry to left.  

Front entrance hall with timber open-well staircase with closed string, turned balusters and large turned newels with ball finials. Boarded ceilings to main showrooms.  

Included as a purpose-built early C20 hardware store of unusual scale, little altered.