Compton House

Compton House is a department store built between 1865 and 1867. It is constructed of stone and features a slate roof. The building stands four storeys high with an attic and has 13 bays, with the end bays projecting forward. The ground floor has been altered with modern shop fronts, while the three upper storeys retain their original design.

The center of the facade is highlighted by a large round-headed window at the first floor, which is topped with a broken pediment and ornamental brackets, along with a cartouche flanked by flags. The end bays are accentuated with rusticated quoins, and the corners are canted with octagonal turrets. The windows on the first floor feature a Palladian type design with a mask keystone, depicting arms representing the USA on the left and Britain on the right.

On the second floor, the windows are adorned with panelled pilasters and entablatures, with the fourth and tenth bays featuring pediments. The central bay includes a tripartite window with an elaborately decorated pediment and the Manchester arms. The end bays also have tripartite windows, with the central light framed by an aedicule and a balustraded balcony.

The third floor windows are designed with shouldered architraves, and the central window consists of two lights with a rich balcony and cornice, leading to the attic windows. The end pavilions are enhanced by Ionic colonnades set between rusticated antae. The central Palladian window is flanked by straight-headed windows, and the central bays are topped with panelled finials and pedimented caps, along with a rectangular panel displaying the Liverpool arms above. The mansard roof features bull's eye dormers, truncated stacks, and iron cresting. The seven bay returns exhibit some detailing similar to the main facade.