Midland Bank

ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA

SP3165NE PARADE 1208-1/7/279 (West side) 18/08/80 No.126 Midland Bank

GV II

Hotel, now bank. Built in 1811 as the Bedford Hotel and sold in 1856 to the Leamington Priors and Warwickshire Bank when it was altered by William Gascoyne to the designs of Mr Bateman of Birmingham, ground floor altered c1900. Sandstone ashlar facade with pinkish-brown brick stacks and concealed roof. Italian palazzo style. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, 4 first-floor windows. Ground floor projects and the outer, entrance bays project again, panelled plinth, rustication. Banded Tuscan columns on plinths to either side of each entrance and to ends of projections, with further pair to sides of central window; frieze, dentil cornice. Entrances have 8-panel double doors, fanlight, hollow-chamfered round arch with keystone. 3 fixed-light windows in hollow-chamfered, elliptically-arched surrounds with keystones. First floor: Continuous balcony over projecting ground floor has range of bulbous balusters in front of each window, and piers between surmounted by ball finials. Plate-glass French windows with divided overlights in aedicules with dentil segmental pediments and quoins. INTERIOR: ground floor, banking hall has moulded 'Georgian' ceiling with elaborate egg-and-dart and modillion cornice. Arcade around walls has paired pilasters with round arches. Carved mahogany counter with panelling. Staircase has cast-iron balustrade. HISTORICAL NOTE: the Parade was so-named in 1860. Originally called Lillington Lane, it was renamed Union Row c1809. The lower section was laid out c1810-1814. (Cave LF: Royal Leamington Spa Its History and Development: Chichester: 1988-: 33, 36-37; Manning JC (Facsimile by Warwickshire County Library 1988): Glimpses of our Local Past .. Its History and Development: Royal Leamington Spa: 1895-: 138).

Listing NGR: SP3177265789