Barclay's Bank

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on street line towards northern end of street.

Exterior

Circa 1870 bank building in grey rock-faced rubble stone with Bath stone dressings, slate roof and end stacks. Large 3-storey 6-window facade in mixed Italianate style. Moulded ashlar plinth, first floor band, plain second floor band and dentilled cornice on paired cym-moulded brackets between window heads. Flush sill bands. Ground floor has doors each side and 4 windows between in raised channelled surrounds arched over windows and slightly pointed to extrados with triple keystones. Windows have bracketed sills, 2 have been raised and all have modern glazing. Doorways are tall with modern doors, and plain fanlights. Doorcases have ashlar panelled spandrels above under cornice projecting from first floor band.

First floor has margin glazed sashes in ashlar surrounds with segmental-arched cornices and window head cut away in similar arch but with heavy scrolled keystone. Jambs have raised blocks at base, mid-height and top. Raised sills on plain blocks. Smaller similar sashes to second floor with similar sills and jambs and chamfering back of window head but here to leave keystone flush. Window head has shallow pointed upper part reaching through base of entablature to base of dentilled cornice.

Reason for designation

Bank is recorded on site in 1879 when it was the London and Provincial Bank, but may not have been built as such. A good example of mid Victorian bank architecture, Italianate but influenced by the bold detailing of High Victorian Gothic.

Group value.