Bank House

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on steep slope overlooking town, to S of Castle Terrace, but approached by drive from road to the castle.

History

Detached house in its own grounds, said to be of c1745 extended in mid-C19. It was also known as The Bank, owned from the C18 by the Humphreys family, attorneys. Three successive Charles Gardiner Humphreys owned it, died 1787, 1803 and 1862. In 1858-9 directory R.S. Humphreys, former merchant at Lima was at The Bank, and C.G. Humphreys listed in Castle Street. R.S. Humphreys died 1876, his daughter Mercedes (1830-95) married Dr Nicholas Fairles in 1877. As Dr Fairles-Humphreys, he was High Sheriff 1882 and fourteen times mayor. He died in 1917. The W window of the church is a memorial to his wife and father-in-law, 1902, and the clock tower on the Town Hall is a memorial to him, 1921. Occupied from 1941 by artistic community around Mrs M.A. Detmold, her son Edward Detmold, artist, and daughter Nora Joy.
The core seems to be a five-bay two-storey brick-fronted house to which new deep-eaved roofs were added and a new S end block, in the earlier to mid C19. Old photographs show a fine Gothic conservatory in front of the right wing, a hipped glazed porch in front of the centre and a glazed open veranda in front of the left half. There was a separate conservatory running S from the S end. The house became badly dilapidated before the death of Norah Joy, and was restored in the 1980s with new porch and rebuilt N end wall.

Exterior

House, red brick with slate roof, deep flat eaves and brick chimneys. Two storeys and attic, the earlier part the five-bay main part with projecting centre gable, later extended to left with projecting gable finished with similar open-pediment facing the front, and similar gable to S in line with original house. Original part has brick end stacks, first floor 12-pane sashes with gauged brick heads and a smaller 9-pane sash in centre gable. Ground floor has French windows with cambered brick heads each side of centre which is stuccoed within a late C20 very broad two-column flat porch.
Projecting gable to left has similar square attic sash, but 16-pane, over first floor large 12-pane sash and ground floor French window. Left side has glazed double doors with gauged brick head, formerly opening into a conservatory. To left added parallel rear range projects slightly. Rear wall is substantially of rubble stone with broad gable to centre, outside chimneybreast to left gable, and parallel rear range to right.

Interior

Interior not inspected. Sales particulars show two long principal ground floor rooms with plastered panelled beams and C19 marble fireplaces.

Reason for designation

Included as a substantial detached house of Georgian origins and character, prominently sited above the town.