Former National Westminster Bank On Corner At Junction With Spring Gardens

This is a bank, built in 1902 by Charles Heathcote for Parr’s Bank. It is located on the corner of York Street and Spring Gardens in Manchester, with a splayed corner facing Spring Gardens. The building is constructed of red sandstone on a grey granite plinth, with a slate roof. It is a significant example of Edwardian Baroque architecture.

The building has three unequal storeys and an attic, with a 1:5:1 bay arrangement along York Street, including the corner. The ground floor is notably taller than the floors above. The ground floor features banded rectangular piers supporting coupled Doric columns with a shaped entablature. Each bay is filled with a large round-headed window featuring moulded detail, a scrolled keystone, plate-glass glazing, and enriched bronze metalwork, including stained glass in the lower panels and arched margin panes above. The first floor has 3-light mullioned windows with eared architraves and triple keystones, surmounted by a prominent enriched cornice with modillions. The second floor features arcaded segmental-arched windows with festoons between each group of three. The attic has 3-light dormer windows with shouldered architraves and segmental pediments.

A distinctive feature is the right-hand end bay, which is four-storeyed with a projecting design, a curved pediment, and a doorway with an elaborate Baroque architrave. Above this is a two-storey canted oriel with small windows in heavy surrounds, and a round-headed window on the third floor, all with richly decorated surrounds.

The corner has octagonal piers framing a large round-headed doorway, followed by windows with Gibbs surrounds, an elegant balcony with Art Nouveau railings, and a cylindrical turret with Ionic aedicules, a modillioned cornice, and a domed lead roof with a lantern. The return side to Spring Gardens mirrors the York Street facade.

The interior features an imposing and richly decorated banking hall. Stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops are present.