Former District Bank (West Didsbury Branch)

This former bank building at 99 Palatine Road was designed in 1914-15 by the Manchester architectural firm Barker, Ellis & Jones. Built in Tudor Revival style, it stands as a striking example of early 20th-century bank architecture, constructed of brick with applied mock timber framing and cement render panels beneath a deep pitched and half-hipped roof covered in Westmorland slate. The building is mainly of two storeys plus a basement.

Layout and Setting

The detached building occupies a prominent corner position at the junction of Palatine Road and Ballbrook Avenue, with a small enclosed yard to the rear. The ground floor originally contained public banking spaces to the north-west front, with private areas including the manager's office and banking hall set behind. The L-shaped first floor wraps around the banking hall's roof lantern and formerly housed stores and a clerks' room.

External Appearance

The building demonstrates careful attention to Tudor Revival detail, employing thin hand-made bricks laid to resemble Tudor-period brickwork, substantial chimneystacks, and cast-iron rainwater goods. It sits upon a brick plinth that extends up to the ground-floor window level. The ground floor combines areas of brickwork with mock half-timbering and cement-rendered panels, while the entire first floor features mock half-timbering with rendered panels. Windows throughout are mullioned or mullioned-and-transomed of varying sizes, all with leaded glazing and shaped brick and timber mullions.

The principal Palatine Road elevation presents a wide three-bay front. The far left bay rises to a tall gable with decorative quadrant framing to the first floor and close studding to the jettied gable. At ground level, a large ten-light timber mullioned and transomed bay window features smaller Tudor-arched upper lights, with the central upper light containing stained glass depicting the District Bank's coat of arms and motto. This bay is jettied to each flanking side of the upper lights. Above it at first-floor level sits a timber ten-light canted oriel window topped by a dentillated cornice. The two bays to the right sit beneath a deep roof. The central bay has a five-light brick mullioned window at ground level, while the timber-framed first floor projects slightly and is corbelled with close studding incorporating a horizontal rail. Three small square windows are set within the upper framing panels immediately beneath the eaves. The entire right bay projects slightly with close studding matching the central bay. The main entrance occupies the ground floor of this right bay, featuring a recessed, wide studded oak door with a metal nameplate above flanked by Tudor rose reliefs bearing the word 'BANK'. Two small painted reliefs flank the door: the left depicts a ship at sea (part of the District Bank's arms), and the right shows the District Bank's shield.

The Ballbrook Avenue elevation extends for four bays, with brick at ground-floor level to bays one and two, and timber framing to bays three and four. The far left bay rises to a gable with a corbelled first floor and jettied gable. At ground level, a two-light brick mullioned window sits to the left, with a three-light brick mullioned window to the right incorporating a bull's-eye to each outer light. The first floor displays close studding with horizontal rails above and below a central four-light timber mullioned window, with close studding continuing into the gable. Bay two has a two-light brick mullioned window at ground level. Bay three contains the secondary entrance (originally the bank clerks' entrance) with a studded oak door and a three-light window to the right featuring vertical studs acting as mullions. Close studding continues at first-floor level across bays two and three, with the right return showing a half-hipped roof and small square window. The single-storey bay four features close studding incorporating a three-light window with vertical studs acting as mullions.

The rear (south-east) elevation comprises a two-bay single-storey rear range with a jettied gable to the far left. Close studding incorporates a horizontal rail to the upper part and a cross window with a vertical stud acting as a central mullion. The area in front of bays one and two has been dug out to basement level, with 21st-century glazed folding doors and a horizontal window inserted at basement level. A narrow 1970s engineered brick infill extension attaches to the far right of the elevation with 21st-century inserted patio doors. The rear elevation is largely hidden from Ballbrook Avenue by a 21st-century high wall of narrow hand-made brick with a solid timber gate attached to the main building at a right angle.

Interior

Most original doors with three vertical panels survive throughout, though floorings have been replaced. The main entrance leads into a small vestibule with a quarry-tiled floor. The original doorway into the manager's office on the south-east wall of the vestibule was removed and blocked up during 1970s alterations. An original wide opening in the north-east wall of the vestibule, now fitted with later glazed doors, leads into the former public space.

The public space has been subdivided into two rooms by a partly glazed partition wall incorporating a door; both areas retain their original panelled dado. The north-east end of the public space contains the original panelled public counter on the south-east wall, though with a later top and replaced glazing above. A timber window seat sits below the large front window, which incorporates stained glass depicting the District Bank's shield and motto reading 'Decus Prudentiae Merces' ('honour is the reward of prudence'). A timber fireplace integral to the panelled dado features carved spandrels, a stone Tudor-arched opening, an angled hearth, and brick lining.

The banking hall (behind the public counter) features a decorative plaster frieze at picture-rail level and a very large lantern roof light set over a multipaned skylight at the centre of the ceiling. Applied timbers simulating shallow beams surround the skylight. A former strong room (door removed) sits to the rear right of the banking hall. An original window to the left of the strong room entrance was converted into a doorway in the 1970s and has since been blocked up; access to the 1970s infill extension is now only via the building's exterior. Three original panelled doors in the south-west wall of the banking hall provide access to the manager's office, a store cupboard, and a small rear lobby accessing the former clerks' entrance and stair hall, toilets, and basement.

The former manager's office retains its original carved timber fire surround with eared jambs, brick lining and angled stone hearth, timber picture rail, and shallow ceiling coving. Original toilets at the rear right (south-west corner) of the ground floor have been replaced by modern facilities, though the original layout has been retained; the former wash basin area is now a small kitchen.

The stair hall and clerks' entrance vestibule contains the original stair flight with turned balusters, a square newel post with carved panels surmounted by a ball finial, a toad's-back handrail, and a panelled under-stair area. An adjacent inserted partition wall and doorway (formerly open) leads into the rear lobby and banking hall.

The first floor retains its original L-shaped five-room layout. Two former store rooms at the south and west ends of the south-west range are now a bathroom and kitchen respectively. A large former store room at the centre of the south-west range has a chimneybreast (fireplace removed) and later inserted doorways to the south and west corners. The former clerks' room at the north corner of the north-west (front) range retains an original cast-iron fireplace, though later built-in cupboards have been added.

The basement has been converted into a flat but retains its original layout and some features, including the coal chute and a heavy metal door to the former book room.

Historical Context

The West Didsbury branch of the Manchester & Liverpool District Banking Company was designed by Barker, Ellis & Jones of Manchester in 1914 and constructed the following year. The bank opened for business on 10 August 1915. Barker, Ellis & Jones was a regional architectural firm that also designed the former District Bank in Stockport (1912, listed at grade II in 2009).

The Manchester & Liverpool District Banking Company was established in 1829 as a joint-stock bank with its headquarters in Manchester, issuing its own notes until 1834. Each branch had its own appointed board of directors overseeing the management of that particular branch. The company purchased a number of smaller banks between 1844 and 1935, and in 1924 was restyled as District Bank Ltd, a name by which it was already commonly known. It merged with County Bank Limited in 1935 and, following its acquisition by National Provincial Bank Ltd in 1962, subsequently became part of National Westminster (NatWest) Bank in 1970.

During the 1970s, NatWest carried out some alterations to the interior and added a small rear extension. The building ceased active use as a bank in 1996 when it was sold by NatWest. It has since been used as office and residential accommodation.