The Midland Bank

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on south corner of Station Road and John Street.

History

1911-12 bank by William Griffiths of Llanelli. In Portland stone, Bath stone and rock-faced blue lias with slate roofs behind balustrades. Two storeys, ornate Baroque style with 1-3-1 bays to Station Road, curved north west corner entry and 4 bays to John St.

Exterior

Station Road front has projected outer bays with pediments against blind parapets and balustraded centre bays. Ground floor has Portland stone facing, channelled rustication with raised channelled pilasters to centre, arched windows with coved reveals, stone sills and keystones and Bath stone cornice. Upper floor has blue lias walling and Bath stone dressings, outer bays have channelled angle piers and windows in moulded architraves with segmental pediments on brackets, while centre has three similar windows but with triangular pediments. Bracketted sills. Rich entablature and modillion cornice broken forward over outer bays and further stepped out over angle piers. Balustrade has panelled pedestals and parapet behind outer pediments has panelled spandrels.

John Street front is simpler, without the pedimented forward breaks, 4-window, the second bay narrower with open pedimented doorcase dated 1912.

Entrance bay has recessed convex curve with cornices carried around, first floor all Bath stone with Corinthian column each side and recessed convex 2-light window with curved sashes, centre mullion, moulded cornice and convex panel above with carved ornate festoons. Ground floor is Portland stone with big cornice and pediment, convex in plan, the pediment scrolled with lion heads flanking centre cartouche mongrammed 'MBWL' (?) Pediment is full width and supported on 2 Ionic columns with red granite shafts and concave curved walling behind to door.

C20 doors and windows. Old photographs showed paired small paned sashes to upper windows.

Interior

Interior altered.

Reason for designation

Group value.