Prudential Assurance Building

WIGAN

SD5805NW LIBRARY STREET 24-1/7/29 (North East side) 11/07/83 No.16 Prudential Assurance Building

GV II

Insurance company office. Dated 1905 over 2nd floor; by Heaton, Ralph and Heaton. Red brick with matching terracotta dressings, roof concealed but probably slate. Rectangular plan at right-angles to street. Flemish Transitional style. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys and 4 windows; facing of square terracotta tiles to ground floor which has moulded cornice with trefoil arcading interrupted by corbels of 1st-floor oriel windows; moulded cornices to both upper floors, that to 2nd floor with egg-and-dart enrichment; coupled Dutch gables to centre bays and balustraded parapets to outer bays. The ground floor has the entrance to the left, by a semi-elliptical headed archway with moulded surround including flowers, and an Art Nouveau name plaque above ("PRUDENTIAL / ASSURANCE / BUILDINGS" on shield with foliated surround), opening into a recessed porch which has a mosaic tiled floor lettered "PRUDENTIAL ASSURANCE COMPANY" and a canted doorway to the right with moulded terracotta architrave (originally dark green glazed terracotta, but now painted stone colour) including a bold cornice with a cartouche lettered "P.A.Co.Ltd", and egg-and-dart frieze, and a keyed oculus above; and to the right, an arcade of 4 tall semi-elliptical arched windows with terracotta cusping and linked hood-moulds with finials extended up to hatched shields under the cornice. The 1st floor has canted oriels with parapets lettered "A.1905.D"; and the 2nd floor has shorter windows with unusual zig-zag moulding to the heads. Tall corniced side-wall chimneys. INTERIOR not inspected.

Listing NGR: SD5829005612