National Westminster Bank

The National Westminster Bank, built in 1928, was designed by F C R Palmer for the National Provincial Bank. It features a combination of brown brick, orange brick, and ashlar dressings, topped with a hipped black pantile roof. This three-storey building is located on a corner site and is designed in the Neo-Georgian style.

The main facade facing Corn Hill has an ashlar plinth and a five-window arrangement, with a recessed three-window center flanked by two tall Ionic stone columns. The center includes a round arched doorway with an ashlar impost band and double doors topped with a fanlight, flanked by brick pilasters with ashlar capitals. Additional single windows are positioned beyond these pilasters. Above, there is a moulded ashlar entablature. The upper floors feature a giant Composite order, with a similar recessed center and two stone columns. The central window is flanked by brick pilasters, with further single windows and smaller upper floor windows that have a linking ashlar cill band. Single windows on either side are also flanked by pairs of brick pilasters, topped with a deeply moulded ashlar cornice.

The Tavern Street facade mirrors the Corn Hill facade on the right with a five-window block, while the left side has a simpler three-window arrangement. This section has four storeys, with three large ground floor windows featuring ashlar keystones and an ashlar band above. The first floor has three small square windows, the second floor has three tall windows with ashlar keystones and brick panels below, and the third floor has three small square windows with ashlar keystones.

Inside, the ground floor banking hall is well preserved, showcasing polished wooden paneling and ornamental plaster cartouches that support a panelled plaster ceiling, which features a large central domed ceiling light. This building is recognized as a notable example of the work of a leading specialist designer of banks during the inter-war period.