Cornwall House

What is now the rear of the building has a whitewashed stone dressing that covers the main red brick construction. It has two-plus-three-plus-two bays, with the central three under a pediment enclosing Diocletian windows and with a rusticated surround. There is a simple but elegant early nineteenth century staircase, and an Adamesque chimney piece with nicely carved timber.[1] A plaque on the outside gives the date of that part of the building as 1752. The secluded walled garden, which the rear of the current building now overlooks,[3] originally contained a grandstand from which the Duke and his friends could watch horse racing on Chippenham fields.[2]

Cornwall House lampholder and fence

The building now faces Monnow Street. The façade that looks onto the street is Georgian and shows two floors and an attic, with the building being set behind a railed forecourt. The new frontage was added in 1770, and (slightly later) a porch, fanlights and side doors were added in the late 18th century.[2] The house now has five bays, under a cornice and pedimented porch on slender Doric columns.

At some point in the 19th century the house was split into two parts, and the spaces between the house and the neighbouring buildings was filled by two single storey extensions. The one on the left provides access to number 56, which is now the office of the Monmouthshire Beacon newspaper, while the one on the right provides a kitchen to number 58. The street entrance to number 58 retains an elegant lampholder over the gate in the ironwork front fence.

Inside the building, the original staircases are still extant,[3] and there is "an Adamesque chimneypiece of timber carved with exquisite delicacy".[1]