Guardian Assurance Buildings

The Guardian Assurance Buildings is an office building constructed in the 1890s. It is made of stone, with yellow brick on the left-hand return. The building features three storeys, a basement, and an attic, with a single bay and a corner turret on the left side, and a three-bay return.

The ground floor showcases a mullioned and transomed window, with an entrance to the right flanked by Corinthian flat pilasters on plinths. Above the entrance, there is an inscription that reads "GUARDIAN ASSURANCE BUILDING." A bull's eye window is located above this, adorned with cherubs and foliage, and topped with a segmental pediment. The doors consist of three panels, and there is stained glass in the bull's eye window. A frieze featuring a cartouche is flanked by cherubs holding ribbons.

The corner of the building has windows arranged in a 1:2:1 pattern, with a basement entrance below, and the corner turret is corbelled out above. The first-floor windows also follow a 1:2:1 arrangement, featuring elliptical heads and transoms, with a rich cornice above. The turret has similar windows, which are enhanced by corbelled polygonal pilasters. The second floor has a window with six round-headed lights, complete with shafts and capitals. The turret features a similar window with arcaded panels beneath it.

A cornice with strapwork panels is positioned above, and the gable includes paired windows with pilasters and a cornice. At the top of the gable, there is a framed cartouche with scrolls and a finial. The turret is decorated with round arcading between pinnacles and topped with a short copper spire. The building has yellow brick end stacks with stone caps, while the left return is utilitarian. The right return is a party wall, which was exposed in 1984.