Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
National Westminster Bank
Corwen, Denbighshire, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Corwen, Denbighshire, designated on 1 February 1995.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Commercial
- Date of designation
- 1 February 1995
- Locality
- Corwen
- Community
- Corwen
- Unitary authority
- Denbighshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.98072, -3.37390
- Cadw reference
- 15518
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 120 Corwen (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
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.
Nearby in the register
- Harp HotelCommercialunder 1 mi
- Attached Sorting OfficeCommercialunder 1 mi
- Waterloo HouseCommercialunder 1 mi
- Post OfficeCommunicationsunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.