Lloyds Bank

Cadw's description

Location

Standing prominently at the junction of The Highway and the A550.

History

Built 1899-1900 at a cost of £3,147, and described as "a real ornament to the village". A large asymmetrical bank building with adjoining bank manager's house, arranged as 2 interlocking ranges forming a rough L.

Exterior

Of Ruabon brick, under a medium-pitched tiled roof, the bank with 2 tall chimneys with simple moulded necking. The bank of 2 storeys and 3 bays, that to the R advanced and with a timber-framed gable carried on simple brackets and with plain bargeboards. Large 9-pane windows to ground floor, one to each bay, with depressed-arched heads and fluted keystones. Stepped buttress between bays 1 and 2, terminated at the eaves in a scrolled pediment. Dentilated string-course. 3 large sash windows to first floor with simply moulded cills projecting slightly and supported on simple wooden brackets. T hat to the R tripartite, the others 2-light.

Extruded at the junction between the stepped-back manager's house and the bank, a single-storey porch of brick with stone detailing. Coped parapet with central gablet and a stone cartouche beneath inscribed "Bank". Entrance with moulded surround and scrolled pediment, within which a shield bearing the date 1900. Decorative consolled pilasters flanking the entrance, containing ogee niches and again with scrolled pediments. Bracketted cornice beneath parapet. Contemporary 8-panel door.

Bank Manager's House: facing E, and at right angles with the bank. Of 3 bays, the central one advanced with wide, timber-framed gable. Simple bargeboards and oversailing eaves carried on simple moulded brackets. Central oriel to first floor beneath which a moulded entrance with cambered head. Recessed 8-panelled door with plain fanlight. Asymmetrical windows including 2 further first-floor oriels with flat roofs and 4 and 6 light cross-windows. These with arched transomes. Off-set stack to L, and decorative ridge-crockets. Stepped angle buttress to R.

Contemporary rear extensions of 1 and 2 storeys to bank. Stone coped dwarf walls infront of both ranges with rounded stone caps to spaced piers. Detached flagpole to L of porch.

Reason for designation

Group value.