Midland Bank

Cadw's description

Location

Large commercial building on corner of Bute Street and James Street.

History

Built in 1874 for Cory Bros, coalowners and exporters, who moved to opposite corner of Bute Street in 1889. Architect, F. Cutlan. In 1898, Midland Bank's architect T B Whinney, made alterations to ground floor windows and doors. In 1902-3 and 1914-15, extensions in similar style by Henry Budgen, architect.

Exterior

Four storeys with 10 bays facing Bute Street, 7 facing James Street and a narrow corner bay. Bathstone and yellow brick with columns in red and grey granite, some terracotta panels. Heavy cornice has paired brackets with swags. Third floor windows with square-headed architraves, but round-headed openings with sashes (but the five S bays in Bute Street have square-headed openings); surrounds in yellow brick with narrow round-headed decoration between openings with bathstone surrounds and terracotta panels. Below sill level, decorated band in yellow brick, bathstone and terracotta. Second floor has paired round-headed sash windows to each bay and columns with granite shafts and foliated capital, but five S bays in Bute Street have single arches; arched single sash windows to each bay with floral decoration in spandrels and granite columns. Ground floor articulated columns with pink granite shafts on grey granite bases and with floral capitals. Round-headed arched with relief decoration on keystones and in spandrels. Shouldered sash windows. Entrance doorways at S bay in Bute St, and E and W bays in James St. Treatment of corner bay follows that of main bays.

Interior

Main entrance doorway leads to polygonal wooden panelled lobby to banking hall which has wooden panelled counters and partitions with frosted glass. Ceiling beams decorated in classicizing style. Black and white Carrara marble floor tiles. Doorway to Bute St leads to lobby with marble tiled floor, red glazed brick dado, and simple ceiling cornice; corridor continues in same style.

Reason for designation

Impressive example of High Victorian Commercial architecture on prominent site. Group value.