Description

LANCASTER

SD4761NE MARKET STREET
1685-1/7/164 (South side)
Nos.35-41 (Odd)
Midland Bank

GV II

Branch bank with chambers above. 1887. Possibly by EW Johnson.
For the Preston Banking Company Ltd. Extended 1924 by the
inclusion of Nos 37 & 39 Market Street, which were probably
built a few years earlier. Sandstone ashlar above a granite
plinth. Slate roofs. Free Italianate style. Both buildings
have deep rectangular plans.
The left-hand building is a windowless, 2-storey, 2-bay block
which contains the entrance to the present banking hall in the
second bay, to the right of a flat-headed entrance to an
alley. The block has banded rustication both on the plinth and
on the walls below an impost band, related to the doorway.
Above this, the plain ashlar wall has a moulded cornice with a
pulvinated frieze, at the level of the top of the doorway, and
an upper frieze, heavily decorated with swags, alternately of
flowers and fruit, and of cloth, separated by tall triglyphs
below a modillion cornice, which is carved with acanthus
leaves.
Above this the parapet is formed of square vase balusters
between panelled dies, decorated with a mask and scrollwork
and topped by a blocking course carrying a wreath. The doorway
has a round-headed arch with a florid keystone, and is set
within a squared architrave. The spandrels are decorated with
female figures, and the frieze, which extends into the
ground-floor cornice of the facade, is carved with scrollwork
and griffons. The pediment contains scrollwork and a
cartouche. The doorway is flanked, above the impost band, by
square panels bearing the coats of arms of Lancaster (to the
left) and Preston (to the right).
The right-hand building has 3 storeys and 3 narrow bays, with
a cornice above the ground-floor windows. Above the facade is
articulated by 6 giant Corinthian pilasters, these are fluted
in their lower half and rise through 2 storeys to carry 5
round-headed arches below an eaves cornice. The doorway is to
the right, and the door is panelled with a rectangular
overlight. The windows are square-headed on the ground and
first floors, and round-headed on the second floor. On the
ground floor they are slightly recessed within moulded
architraves, and on the first floor they have cornices.
INTERIOR: the banking hall has a rectangular lantern light
with stained glass which has emblems taken from the arms of
the Preston Banking Co.
HISTORY: the Preston Banking Company Ltd acquired premises in
Market Street, and in 1887 their new premises were 'in course
of erection'. By 1896 the company had become the London and
Midland Bank Ltd.

Listing NGR: SD4761061692

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26489600

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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