Description

David Rhind, 1871. 3-storey, 3-bay near-symmetrical bank with classical details, of square plan with modern gabled wing projecting to N. Stugged ashlar principal front with polished ashlar dressings, all painted, stugged squared and snecked sandstone, droved at arrises to side and rear elevations. Base course, band course at 1st floor, dentilled eaves cornice. Long and short rusticated quoins framing elevation, corniced and bracketted window cills.

N (COMMERCIAL STREET) ELEVATION: symmetrical above ground, architraved and pilastered entrance door with dentilled entablature at ground in bay to outer left, early 20th century 2-leaf, 4-panel timber and bronze doors with decorative fanlight depicting ships, etched glass inner door. Architraved fixed-light square windows in bays to right. 1st floor; architraved windows with segmental pediments at 1st floor, tripartite in outer bays. 2nd floor, lugged architraves to windows.

W ELEVATION: margined window at ground floor to outer left, modern 2-storey gabled addition projecting at centre of elevation.

Early 20th century 6-pane timber fixed-lights with reeded transoms at ground. Timber sash and case windows at upper floors, plate glass to principal front, 4-pane elsewhere. Piended and bell-cast purple-grey slate roof with M formation to rear, cast-iron gutters and downpipes with hopper centring rear elevation.

BOUNDARY WALL: random rubble, with stugged sandstone cope bounding Queen?s Lane; garden door with droved and chamfered arrises adjacent to bank, wall curved at SE corner and incorporating stugged sandstone gatepiers surmounted by copes and cast-iron urns. Stugged and polished ashlar stacks, corniced with octagonal cans.

Statement of Interest

Constructed originally as the Commercial Bank, this is a modest example of Rhind?s banker?s classical style, the layout of the principal elevation following his bank of circa 1863 in Albert Street, Kirkwall. Despite the comparative modesty of its scale, this building provides a striking centrepiece to the widened section of Commercial Street.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17852177

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability