Northern Bank

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two-bay two-storey Italianate Northern Bank building, built 1904 to designs by Godfrey Ferguson, located to the south side of Edward Road at the corner of Kings Road. Rectangular-on-plan with modern single-storey flat roofed extension to north-east.

Roof is hipped and natural slated behind parapet walling; red brick chimneys have moulded sandstone cornice and original clay pots. Walls are Flemish bonded red brick over block-marked sandstone plinth to platband at sill height; rusticated sandstone quoins; sandstone frieze and dentilled cornice to parapet. Windows are square-headed timber framed 1/1 sliding sash in sandstone surround with continuous sill course.

Principal elevation faces west. Pedimented breakfront at left contains Serliano window arrangement with stepped sandstone surround and cornicing at ground floor surmounted at first floor by two windows (each with key-block); timber framed oculus window to pediment apex. Right bay comprises, at left, round-arched-headed opening with stepped sandstone surround and keyblock containing original timber six-panelled entrance door with plain glazed fanlight; two windows at ground floor right; three windows at first floor.

North elevation consists of pedimented breakfront at left containing, at ground floor, central round-arched-headed window flanked to either side by narrow square-headed windows with cornicing, all with stepped sandstone surround; single window with key-block at first floor; oculus to pediment apex. Bay at right is abutted at ground floor by porch with segmental-headed parapet; round-arched-headed entrance opening with rusticated sandstone surround and keyblock (now blocked) surmounted by canopy supported on console brackets; square-headed window with cornice to east and west. Exposed wall contains single window with key-block at first floor. Abutted on left by extension.

East elevation is abutted at ground floor by extension. Exposed wall at first floor comprises pedimented breakfront to centre containing pair of windows; flanking bays each contain single window.

South elevation is abutted by adjoining house (17 Kings Road). Exposed wall is blank.

Building is directly accessed from Kings Road to west. Site is bounded from Edward Road to the north by concrete plinth wall surmounted by cast-iron railings.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Flemish bonded red brick
Windows: Square-headed timber-framed 1/1 sliding sash in sandstone surround
RWG: Gutters concealed behind parapet, cast-iron hopper-heads and round downpipes

Historical information

The building first appears on the 1921 OS map.

Valuation Revisions dating from 1880-1893 show there was a previous building on the site. The 1890-1904 revision lists a house, office and land, leased from John Raphael. In 1903 the occupier is recorded as Anne Wilson, with the property listed as house and office. In 1906 the entry records a ‘bank-house, office and yard’ and the occupier is listed as the Northern Banking Company. The building valuation is £100, which is revised in 1906 to £90 (due to a ‘first appeal’ mentioned in the notes).

According to the Irish Architectural Archive, the building was built by Laverty & Son, to designs of Godfrey Ferguson.

References:

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/47/3 - Third Edition OS Map (1902)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/47/7 - Seventh Edition OS Map (1902-revised 1930)
3. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/18A-F - Valuations Revisions (1864-1929)

Secondary Sources

1. Irish Architectural Archive. ‘Dictionary of Irish Architects.’ [Internet source] Available from:
Accessed 20/05/09.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Two-bay two-storey Italianate Northern Bank building, built 1904 to designs by Godfrey Ferguson, located to the south side of Edward Road at the corner of Kings Road. This well detailed and proportioned bank is well preserved and the brick and sandstone detailing is typical of the early twentieth century classical style. The bank remains a landmark building in the busy commercial town centre of Whitehead and it is one of the more significant buildings within Whitehead Conservation Area.