52-68, BISHOPSGATE EC2

Nos. 52 to 68 on Bishopsgate, built in 1928 by Mewes and Davis, features a stone classical facade with five main storeys and an attic, comprising 14 bays arranged as 5+4+5. The facade includes rusticated strips that define the main divisions and rusticated unbonded quoins, with the central four bays projecting slightly. The base has a low plain plinth, above which giant Doric pilasters connect the ground and first (or mezzanine) floors, supporting a mutular entablature adorned with a triglyph frieze and carved metopes featuring Red Indian feathers, wolves' heads, and other Canadian motifs. The wide entrance to St Helen's Place, located in the central four bays, is flanked by fluted Doric columns in antis that support the entablature. The upper three floors are faced with plain ashlar, featuring moulded architraves on the second and third floors and crossetted frames on the fourth floor windows. The second-floor windows have cornice hoods, while the third-floor windows have bracketed cills. An enriched bracketed cornice crowns the building, topped by a balustraded parapet and a stone-faced attic with a steep slated roof, dormers, and stone stacks. A central rusticated square turret features an octagonal arcaded belfry and a cupola topped with a beaver weathervane. The entrance to St Helen's Place is enhanced by fine wrought iron gates, a stone and plaster compartmented soffite, the arms of the Leathersellers Company, and large hanging lanterns.