Midland Bank

The Midland Bank, located at 2 Darley Street and including No 34 Kirkgate, is a prominent corner building constructed in 1858 for the Bradford Banking Company. Designed by Andrews and Delanney, it is notable as the first prestigious banking premises in Bradford. The building features striking Italianate elevations made from high-quality stone masonry.

The ground floor showcases vermiculated banding to the ashlar with recessed joints, creating the appearance of piers between the windows. The arches above the windows are adorned with alternately vermiculated voussoirs. A bracketed cornice spans the ground floor and wraps around the curved corner, topped by an applied parapet. The first floor is distinguished by balustrading in front of the windows and giant engaged Corinthian columns that frame the first floor and double at the curved corner.

The elevation is topped with a bold cornice and frieze that aligns with the columns, along with a balustraded parapet marked by dies. The ground floor windows are a modified Serlian type set within the main rusticated arches. The main corner doorway is similarly styled but features a blind tympanum decorated with a carved shield. The first floor windows on Kirkgate are flanked by pilasters and have arched segmental pediments, while those on the corner and Darley Street include flanking lights, with the corner window featuring engaged columns instead of pilasters.

A second floor was added later, with windows that break through the segmental pediments. The last two bays on Darley Street are a matching extension from the same period as this alteration. Inside, the banking hall boasts a beautifully enriched plaster compartmented ceiling supported by marble-shafted gilded Corinthian columns, complemented by pilasters on the walls.