National Westminster Bank

Cadw's description

Location

Prominently sited facing E down High Street at the point where it narrows towards the head of Stryd y Bont.

History

The first branch of the National Provincial Bank of England (later The National Westminster Bank) to open in Corwen opened in 1913. The present building is dated 1928, and may have been designed by Palmer, architect to the National Provincial Bank.

Exterior

The building is a thorough-going exercise in vernacular revival, based on a medieval open hall. Pegged close-studded timber framed construction on a stone plinth, and with split stone roof. 3 bays, the 2-bay banking hall is open to the roof, with the offices housed in a storeyed bay to the W, and the main entrance in the E gable. S elevation has 2 wide gables over full-height 3 tier wood mullioned and transomed windows, each with canted central section. The gables are slightly advanced, and have vine-scroll decoration to bargeboards, and pendant finials. Dated in a moulded timber panel where the 2 gables meet, and also on the enriched rainwater head. The western bay houses the offices, and has a small-paned 3-light casement window on each floor. Entrance in gable facing E: 4-centred archway to central doorway, with mullioned and transomed oriel window carried on brackets above it. 3-tier mullioned and transomed window in short rear wing to the right. Beyond this, a pentice roof carried on raking brackets straddles a passageway between the bank and the adjacent Harp Hotel.

Interior

The banking hall is open to the roof, which has exposed tie beams carried on raking braces, and a plaster panelled ceiling richly decorated with vine-scrolls etc. Oak dado panelling, and panelled counter.

Reason for designation

An excellent exercise in the vernacular revival styles developed in the inter-war period, and which were a particular hall-mark of the National Provincial Bank in N Wales.