The Embankment (former Boots Store No 2)

The Embankment (former Boots Store No 2)

A former Boots shop, subscription library and tearoom built in 1905-7 to the designs of A. N. Bromley. The building occupies a corner plot facing north-east onto Arkwright Street and south-east onto Turney Street, with an approximately square plan. A 1930 extension on the rear south-west elevation and a late 20th-century single-storey extension with adjoining conservatory along the north-west elevation are excluded from the listing.

The two-storey building is constructed in the Tudor style using applied timber framing with red brick and tile hanging, and a red clay tile roof. The exterior features irregular elevations and a complex, steeply pitched roofscape with tall brick ridge stacks.

The north-east elevation has panel framing to a jettied upper floor with a panelled soffit carried out on timber posts forming an arcade, which originally provided shelter above the ground-floor shop windows since removed. New window frames thought to be similar to the originals were reinstated in 2015, featuring plate glass with a single transom and mullion. The elevation is dominated by a large gabled bay with plain bargeboards and multiple bracing in the gable head. The first floor is lit by a pair of canted oriel Ipswich windows with moulded frames and decorative leaded lights supported by carved brackets. The lights either side of the central arch are filled with painted glass depicting the coats of arms of numerous English kings. Above the oriels is a horizontal window of six leaded lights. At ground-floor level is a double-leaf entrance door with two moulded panels and a semi-circular overlight with radial glazing bars and painted glass spandrels. The first floor is lit by a two-light stained glass window, followed by two eight-light casement windows with decorative leaded lights and a transom.

The applied panel framing continues for the first two bays of the south-east elevation. The corner of the building is distinguished by a hexagonal turret terminating in a slender finial and lit on the first floor by two tiers of casement windows similar to those on the north-east elevation. The gabled bay to the right has an oriel window in the same style and a five-light horizontal window above. The ground floor of these two bays has modern windows in the same style as those on the north-east elevation. To the left are two gabled bays which are of brick on the ground floor, a combination of plain and fishscale tile hanging on the first floor, and timber bracing in the gable heads. The right-hand of these two gabled bays is lit on the ground floor by a five-light window with stained glass depicting stylised wreaths, whilst the left-hand bay has a large archway with a glazed, multi-pane upper half. Both bays have an oriel window at first-floor level with five-light casements above. To the left is a slightly set back, plainer section which has a door and a five-light casement window to the right. The first floor has tile-hanging and is lit by a two-light and a five-light casement window.

The interior has an eclectic but predominantly Arts and Crafts character with exposed wood of a rich, warm hue. The entrance door on the north-east elevation opens into a large double-height room which gives the impression of a medieval open hall. It is divided into four bays by roof trusses with arched braces resting on principal posts. The room has a canted ceiling with closely spaced rafters, with the top divided by moulded glazing bars into square panes with leaded lights painted with two large, delicately detailed oval wreaths. Along the south-east side is a built-in panelled serving counter and bar. The south-west end has a double-leaf door divided by glazing bars into square panes, set in a curved recess with a semi-circular overlight and flanked by full-height glazing also divided into square panes. This door presumably once led into a tea garden but now leads into the later extension.

The open well stair rises from the north-east corner of the open hall with a quarter turn and panelled soffit. The closed string is embellished with a dentilled course. The elaborately carved square newel posts are surmounted by finials of different designs, and the turned balusters have intermittent panels containing geometric design and a pierced upper section of carved fruit and foliage. The stairwell is lit by an octagonal lantern with leaded lights featuring painted glass with delicate swag and wreath motifs.

On the landing are two doors of different styles. The exposed wooden door on the left has three long moulded panels with glazed upper panels containing a heart motif, a brass door plate with pierced, stylised floral design, and a shouldered surround. This leads into an Arts and Crafts room believed to have been Jessie Boot's office, which has a bridging beam and joists and three-quarter height panelling divided into long rectangular panels with shorter panels above. The south-west end of the room has a canted oriel window overlooking the open hall below. On either side are original radiators enclosed in boxes with front grilles. One side of the room has two fitted benches, and the opposite side has an inglenook with close studding. The rubbed brick fireplace has a segmental arch opening with Delft-style tiles and a wooden mantelpiece flanked by built-in shelves and benches. It is lit by a brightly painted window depicting a bridge over a river, a timber-framed house and trees. The windows overlooking the road each have a stained glass flower in the upper pane.

The glazed double-leaf doors on the right of the landing have long brass plates along the shutting style and bottom rail, and lead into a large neo-Classical style room with white painted joinery. The room has a canted ceiling with side purlins and is divided into four bays by segmental arches springing from an entablature which runs around the walls and has a dentilled cornice and frieze with guttae. The bays form four alcoves along the external south-east wall separated by two square outer columns and a semi-circular headed window with leaded lights and radial glazing bars, beneath which are incorporated original radiators. The alcoves are lit by the oriel windows. On the south-west wall is a door in a shouldered surround and two large square openings which lead into a bar area and modern kitchen. The central opening is surmounted by a swan neck pediment, whilst the second opening does not appear to be original.

The ground-floor shop on the south-east side of the open hall has lost all of its original fittings except for a strip of square panelling on the ceiling. During renovation it was possible to see part of a bridging beam and joist under the inserted ceiling.