Royal House

Royal House is a mid 16th century town-house, which combined, probably from the outset, domestic and commercial functions, with accommodation between a shop facing the street and a slightly later store-house at the rear. It occupied a half-burgage plot within the late medieval town, and was built to run lengthwise down the plot. The building has been tree-ring dated, giving felling dates for timbers within the house of 1559–1561, and for the rear store-house range of 1576. Although the Royal House has had a long commercial history, much of the early structure and layout has survived. The original house was extended by the addition of the store-house (referred to as ‘’ysgubor newydd’’) in…

The narrow hip-roofed front to Heol Penrallt was much remodelled in the 19th century. The house extends seven long bays down the adjacent street. Three-light window with ovolo mullions, and doorway with voussoired head. The roof of the main part of the building is tree-ring dated to 1559–61, that of the three W bays to 1576. Despite alterations, the plan of what was clearly a decent Elizabethan merchant's house. The house formed the centre part of the range, with first floor hall and parlour heated by back-to-back fireplaces. The shop faced the main street, and the rear addition bays probably formed a warehouse and some extra rooms. The hall was open, the collar-truss roof has wind-braces.…