Lloyds Bank

Lloyds Bank, 1932 by Buckland and Haywood.

MATERIALS: the building is faced with Portland stone under a tile roof.

PLAN: the bank faces north onto High Street and is built to an L-plan, with the long wing stretching down Greyfriars Lane.

EXTERIOR: the building is designed in a Beaux Arts style and has a monumental entrance facing High Street. The main door is set within a tall arch which rises through two storeys and is set forward from the main building, with flanking rusticated sections and one bay to the left. Above these is a projecting dentilled cornice and a further storey above the cornice, with the roof rising above. The door itself is set within a moulded frame with the name 'LLOYDS BANK' carved in the frieze above the door. Above this is in the tympanum is a carved sculpture which shows the Lloyds horse in a central panel with the date '1677'. This is flanked by seated male figures; that to the left holds a key while the right hand figure holds a ship.

The elevation to Greyfriars Lane is of six principal bays, with arched windows to the ground floorl, lighting the banking hall within, and tripartite windows to the first floor. The bays are divided by full-height, fluted demi-columns with lotus capitals and above the cornice the upper storey has a row of sash windows. In the third bay from the right there is a second entrance in a projecting surround. Beyond the main block the building steps in and there are two ashlar bays, one with three storeys lighting the main stair within, and two further entrances at ground floor level.

INTERIOR: the main entrance opens into the double-height banking hall which occupies the full six bays of the main block. The ceiling, which is supported on deeply curved cornices which echo the arched windows, is divided into five rectangular sections. The outer and middle sections have large central squares with two smaller outer squares; these take the form of recessed panels cornicing around the edges. The other sections have six square panels. The fittings of the banking hall are otherwise modern.

Beyond the banking hall, the building has largely been refitted. The main stair is thought to be in its original location, but has later-C20 replacement handrails. There is a surviving original secondary stair to the rear of the building which rises through the lower storeys. This has metal handrails with Art Deco style detailing and solid newel posts.