Former Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank and Bank Chambers, 57 and 59 Westgate

Former bank and bank chambers, 57 and 59 Westgate, built 1877–1878 by Henry Francis Lockwood of Lockwood and Mawson Architects for the Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank. The building is in the grand neoclassical style and was converted into a public house with offices on the upper floors in the late 20th century.

Materials and setting: The principal elevation facing Westgate is constructed in ashlar sandstone with slate roofing, while the rear is of red brick.

Plan: The main public entrance to the former banking hall is centrally placed on the Westgate elevation. Rear entrances are accessed via a passage through the eastern-most bay, connecting to Albion Court. The western-most bay contains the entrance to the upper-floor offices.

Exterior: The Westgate (north) elevation is the dominant feature, comprising seven bays across three storeys, crowned by a tall parapet concealing the roof. The central three bays project slightly and are defined by engaged Corinthian columns spanning the upper two floors. The entire elevation is framed by pilasters formed of rusticated blocks, alternating between vermiculated and plain-faced finishes.

The ground floor has a tall plinth of panels with moulded skirting and cornice. Above this, the ashlar stonework is horizontally banded and deeply rusticated, with alternate bands being vermiculated. This rises to a relatively plain entablature with a deep modillioned cornice supporting the first floor. The central bay is framed by ornately carved pilasters with giant consoles supporting an enriched entablature and a segmental pediment displaying the monogram of the Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank. Within this bay sits the main entrance: a tall double-leafed panelled and bossed door with a rectangular overlight. The opening features vermiculated voussoirs and a keystone carved with a head thought to represent William Stewart, the bank's chairman in 1878. The other ground-floor bay openings are similar, but their carved heads appear to depict various Greek gods. The far western bay has a comparable panelled and bossed door with overlight in a simpler surround. The far eastern bay is a carriage entrance to Albion Court. The remaining four bays contain large one-over-one plate glass sash windows.

The first floor has a sill band imitating a balustraded parapet with squared vase balusters set beneath the window openings. The windows are plate glass sashes framed by pilasters with sunk panels and large consoles supporting Greek key friezes and triangular pediments with enriched tympanum.

The second-floor windows are shorter sash windows set in moulded architraves headed by pulvinated friezes and segmental pediments. Above this runs a plain frieze finished with a dentilated string course, topped by a modillion cornice with richly carved modillions. The tall parapet above is panelled and features carved rosettes. At the centre is a round pediment with rich carving framing a clock face with Roman numerals.