54 Cross Street

Main details

 

Address:
Present Occupier:
Present Owner:
Ground Floor:
Other Floors:
Date when first used by present occupier:

54 Cross Street
Lloyds Bank

Bank

1901

Before and After Images

 

            No 55                       No 54

1979/80

             No 55                        No 54

2015


 

About the building

See also 55 Cross Street

Source : Abergavenny Local History Society Survey 1980:

No. 54 : Frontage built in 1934

This was one house with no.55 until they were divided in 1811.   This was the larger portion and was let to Thomas Richards, timber merchant, who came from 51 Cross Street and who bought it in 1816 when Williams died.

Thomas Richards Jr, his son, succeeded to the business in 1860 and his grandson, Samuel Morgan Richards succeeded in about 1892.   He was then using the Tithe Barn, next to the Priory, as his warehouse. This also appears in the 1906 directory (see cutting in the Museum copy of original Survey)

In 1933, the northern half of the property (53-54 Cross Street) was demolished and replaced by the new extension to Lloyds Bank, maing a perfect match with the original part built in 1897.

Both parts are constructed in Staffordshire New Red Sandstone (note the banding caused by blown desert sand during its formation).   This stone is particularly suitable for fine carvinc, as opposed to the local Old Red Sandstone       (J Perkins)

 

 

Recent history

Text to come here.

 


 

Previous occupiers

Year

Name

Detail

Source

1970

Lloyds Bank

 

 

1937

Lloyds Bank

C G A Brookes, Manager

Kelly

1934

Lloyds Bank

C G A Brookes, Manager

Kelly

1930

Peake & Williams (Floral Hall)

Florist & Seedsman

Car/Npt & Dis

1927-28

E A Peake

Greengrocer, florist & seedsman

Kelly

1926

Peake & Williams

Florist & Seedsman

Kelly

1923

E A Peake

Florist (Nurseryman in Grosvenor Road)

Kelly

1920

Alfred Peake

Florist & Nurseryman

Kelly

1916

Alfred Peake

Abergavenny Cycle Company (moved to 52 Cross St in 1920)

Kelly

1910

Allcott & Wilson

Abergavenny Cycle Company

Kelly

1906

Edward Arthur Tonkin

Cycle Dealer

Kelly

1901

John Easthope Wooley

Cycle Dealer

Kelly

1891

John Phillips

Ironmonger

Kelly

1884

John Phillips

Ironmonger

Kelly

1879

John Phillips

Ironmonger

Thacker

1877

John Phillips

Ironmonger

Owen

1875

John Phillips

Ironmonger

Mer & Croc

1875

John Morgan

Ironmonger

Mer & Croc

1871

Mrs Mary Norman

(at 22 Cross St in 1858)

Kelly

1865

Mrs Mary Norman

(at 25 Nevill Street in 1862)

Webster

1862

William Norman

 

Morris & Co

1858

Ann Thomas

Milliner & Dressmaker

Slater

1851

Henry Thomas

Printer & Bookbinder

Census

1844

Thomas Richards Jr

 

Slater

1835

Anne Richards

 

Pigot

1822

Thomas Richards

Timber Merchant (at no.51 in 1801)

Pigot

1811

Thomas Richards

Timber Merchant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Other information

Thomas Richards (Timber Merchant) – leased this property from William Williams in 1811 when it was first divided and bought it in 1816

 

Source : coflein.gov.uk

“Built first in 1895-7 and designed by A E Lloyd-Oswell and purpose-built as a bank.  The bank was later increased in size from one gable to two in 1933.  The Jacobean/domestic revival style is an eclectic mixture as if influenced by both Richard Norman Shaw and George Skipper of Norwich.  The first part built is to the left (no.55) which had one gable and two oriels.  The only sign of the differing parts now visible is the slight variation in the first floor brickwork”

“The ground floor is faced with pink Alveley sandstone ashlar, the first floor is red brick with stone dressings and the  attic is timber-framed and rendered with a red plain tile roof and red brick stacks.  Jacobean/domestic revival style.  Two storeys and attic with seven bays on the ground floor, three on the first floor and two in the attic;  this was partly the result of being built in two phases.  The ground floor has doorways at either end, although the right-hand one is blocked and now contains ATMs.  They are arched, with carved squinches and have scrolls above.   Bank to left and House to right.  The left one has a 2-light ogee arched window above and the right one a moulded bulls-eye.   The next bays in are narrow ones framed by pilasters and with an arched window with a smaller plain one in the mezzanine;  this is framed by carved brackets which support the oriel above.”

“The next bays in again are wider and have 3-light windows below and 4-light above all with stone mullions.  Finally the centre bay repeats the outer ones under the oriels.  The first floor has three large oriel windows with areas of brick on either side.  The oriels are canted and have 4-light windows with transom, arched head and carved apron.   The attic floor has two large gables with applied timber framing and render.  These gables oversail the lower storey and are supported on large paired brackets ornamented with swags and grotesques between the oriels.  Between these brackets, there is a stone beehive in low relief, the emblem of the founder bank.  Each gable has paired 3-light windows with leaded lights and a king post with herringbone struts above, barge-boards with strapwork decoration, spike finials.  Rainwater good having castellated heads with foliate emblems.  Plain roof with large ornately detailed gable stacks.”

“Included for its special architectural interest as a fine late C19 purpose-built bank designed in a richly decorated manner by A E Lloyd-Oswell.   It also forms part of the main group of historic buildings in the centre of Abergavenny.”

“Rear elevation not fully inspected but it has a scalloped tile-hung central gable with hipped roof and small paned casement windows.  Altered lower rear wing with concrete tile roof.

“The ground floor has been altered in the late C20 but the C17 style strapwork ceiling survives over the main banking hall.  Upper floor not seen at resurvey”

John Newman: The Buildings of Wales Gwent/Monmouthshire, Penguin 2000, p105

Louis Bannon, Remember Abergavenny,  Vol I, Old Bakehouse Publications 1995, pps9-11

Chris Barber, Abergavenny in old Postcards, European Library 1995, pl9, 11

Abergavenny Local History Society, Abergavenny Street Survey 1979-84 (alphabetical) Kept in archive at Abergavenny Museum.

 

If you have any further information about this property please email alhs@live.co.uk