National House

National House, located at 34 and 36 St Ann Street in Manchester, is a Conservative club that has been converted into shops on the ground floor. Built in 1875 by Horton and Bridgeford, the building is designed in the Baroque style and features sandstone ashlar with a concealed roof. It stands three storeys high and has three symmetrical bays, along with a curved left corner facing Cross Street.

The façade is richly adorned with details such as banded corner pilasters, an elaborate pedimented centre that showcases superimposed orders across all floors, coved eaves supported by coupled brackets, a prominent cornice, and a balustraded parapet. The central section includes coupled pilasters on each floor, with banded Tuscan pilasters at the ground floor, Ionic at the first floor, and Corinthian at the second floor.

A segmental-headed doorway at the ground floor features a carved surround, double doors with pedimented panels, and an elaborate doorcase with banded columns, a carved tympanum, and a segmental open pediment. The first and second floors have Venetian windows, with the central light on the first floor framed by Ionic columns and Corinthian pilasters on the second floor. The first-floor pilasters support a curved frieze and a pierced balcony, while the pediment is decorated with carving that includes shields, swags, and putti.

The outer bays feature segmental-headed windows on both the first and second floors, each set in elaborate architraves. The first-floor windows have open pediments, while those on the second floor are topped with cornices, all richly carved and with pierced aprons. A cylindrical corner oriel is adorned with round-headed windows and intricate detailing. The façade facing Cross Street has seven bays with banded piers at the ground floor and regular fenestration on the upper floors, where the windows match those at the front but with alternately segmental pediments on the first floor. The interior has not been inspected.