3 and 5, Castle Street

Nos 3 and 5 Castle Street is an office building constructed in 1889 by Grayson and Ould. It features a combination of stone and brick with granite at the ground floor and a slate roof. The building stands five storeys tall with attics and has five bays. The ground floor has modern shop fronts and an entrance topped with a segmental pediment. The first floor is made of stone and has five segmental arched windows, which are divided by fluted half-columns with Composite capitals and adorned with carved spandrels; the center bay is narrower than the others. The second floor and above are primarily brick with terracotta dressings. A mosaic frieze above the first floor depicts sailing ships and includes the inscription "British & Foreign Marine Insurance Company Ltd." The second and third floors each feature a two-storeyed oriel at both ends, with five windows on each floor in between; the second floor windows have enriched lintels, while the third floor windows are pointed-arched and consist of three orders. A balustraded balcony sits above the third floor, with cross windows supported by Corinthian pilasters and an enriched frieze above. The dormers are topped with tiered gables and segmental pediments, and the outer-bay pyramidal roofs are finished with spike finials.