National Westminster Bank

TM 1644 NW 642/1/10072

TAVERN STREET (South side) Nos. 2-10 NatWest Bank

GV II

Bank. 1928. Designed by F C R Palmer for the National Provincial Bank. Brown brick with orange brick and ashlar dressings. Hipped black pantile roof. 3 storey. Corner site. Neo-Georgian style. Ashlar plinth. Main 5 window facade to Corn Hill has recessed 3 window centre with 2 tall Ionic stone columns. Centre has round arched doorway with ashlar impost band and double doors with fanlight over flanked by brick pilaster with ashlar capitals, beyond single windows. Either side further single windows flanked by pairs of Ionic brick pilasters. Above moulded ashlar entablature. Upper floors have giant Composite order with similar recessed centre with 2 stone columns. Central window flanked by brick pilasters and further single windows with pilasters beyond, and similar smaller windows to upper floor with linking ashlar cill band. Either side single windows flanked by pairs of brick pilasters. Deeply moulded ashlar cornice. Tavern Street facade has 5 window block to right identical to the Corn Hill facade, with to left a plainer 3 window facade. This block has 4 storeys with 3 large windows on the ground floor with ashlar keystones and ashlar band above. First floor has 3 small square windows. Second floor has 3 further tall windows with ashlar keystones and brick panels below. Third floor has 3 small square windows with ashlar keystones. INTERIOR has well preserved ground floor banking hall with polished wooden panelling and ornamental plaster cartouches supporting the panelled plaster ceiling with large central domed ceiling light. Included as a good example of the work of the leading specialist designer of banks in the inter-war period.

Listing NGR: TM1628344622