Port of Liverpool Building and stone balustrade, iron gates and piers

SJ 3390 27/501

GEORGES PIER HEAD L3 Port of Liverpool Building and stone balustrade, iron gates and piers

(formerly listed as Offices at Mersey Docks and Harbour Board)

12.7.66

GV II* Office building. 1907. Arnold Thornely. Portland stone. Basement and five storeys, 13 bays wide with canted corner bays, 11-bay returns. Rusticated basement ground and first floor window round-headed, first floors, and corner bays. Second, central and twelfth bays break forward. Ground floor window round-headed, first floor windows in eared architraves. Second and third floors recessed behind attached Ionic colonnade with entablature and central open pediment containing bulls eye and dolphins, at ends round open pediments containing attic window. Third floor window of three lights, with colonnettes supporting open segmental pediments, and balustraded balconies. Fourth floor window of three lights with colonnettes, centre and end bays have Diocletian windows. Attic has round-headed window with projecting panelled blocks between.

Entrance in tunnel-vaulted recess with keystone and pediment, flanked by statues on plinths with ships in cornucopias over. End octagonal towers with tall glazed drums and coupled Ionic columns supporting domes. Central dome on two-stage drum. First stage with Ionic colonnade and four projecting aedicules containing niches, second stage recessed behind balustrade. Copper dome surmounted by lantern with four aedicules and obelisk. Interior has full height octagonal hall with coffered dome. Round-arched openings to galleries with iron railings and solid balconies with lamp standards to alternate floors. Mosaic paving.

Two square stone piers opposite the entrance, with dentilled cornices and globes with gilded continents; four iron gates and gate piers. Also stone balustrade across whole front, curving from entrance piers, with stone lamp holders on ends, and continuing round the whole building with stone lamp holders at intervals, in the form of naval monuments with draped urns on top. Also iron gates and piers at each end of forecourt.

Listing NGR: SJ3392290208