National Westminster Bank

Cadw's description

Location

Prominently situated at S end of narrower part of Sycamore Street.

History

Built for the National Provincial Bank, possibly by Palmer and Holden, the bank's architects in the Interwar period. An unusually well-designed building, of great importance in the streetscape.

Exterior

Dated 1930 on rainwater head. Bank building in rock-faced squared brown sandstone with low pitched slate roofs and 3 stone stacks. Tall 3-storey L-plan building in distinctive neo-Georgian style with pedimented gabled 2-window W front to street line, 2-window prominent S side facing down street and one-window W-facing return. Moulded painted timber eaves cornice and W pediment with roughcast tympanum. Painted metal-framed leaded windows with concrete sills, square windows to upper floor, full-height French windows with top-lights to first floor and shallow curved-ended balconies with ornate wrought iron rails. Arcaded ground floor with raised plinth and impost band, leaded windows and metal glazing bars, with decorative leading to elliptical-arched heads. Concrete sills and recessed panels below windows. In right bay of street front, doorway with matching fanlight, painted timber bolection-moulded surround and double panelled doors. One-window return has similar but broader elliptical arched carriage entry with triple folding panelled doors. Stone flagged through hall with big rear ledged doors and stone staircase up on left wall with wrought iron rails to lower flight.

Rear wall is rendered with projecting stair tower. End stacks to rear range and one N side stack to front wing.

Interior

Internal fittings removed circa 1989.