Former London County Bank

SOUTHWARK

TQ3276 CAMBERWELL GREEN 636-1/11/128 (West side) No.17 Former London County Bank

GV II

Bank. Dated 1899 over entrance. For London County Bank. Roofs of slate and cupola covered partly in metal. STYLE: Baroque Revival. PLAN: main block on corner is rectangular in plan, with a full-height canted bay to south; the return treated as a lower wing, giving the whole a roughly L-shaped plan. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys stepping down to 2 along return on Camberwell New Road. 3-window range to Camberwell Green; 2-window range to south-facing elevation of 3 storeys; scattered fenestration to long return. All openings are flat-arched. Vermiculated and rusticated plinth continuous, filling area below ground-floor window sills; walls above are banded in stone and granite blocks; there is stone and brick banding to upper floors. Main entrance in bay set in a most elaborate aedicule consisting of a pair of coupled Ionic columns (the shafts of granite), supporting entablature blocks and segmental pediment, the tympanum of which is recessed and ornamented with low relief carving depicting a wreathed shield and seraphim, and bearing the date and initials "LCB" in florid script; reclining on the pediment are a pair of nearly free-standing allegorical figures, the whole arrangement borrowed from Michelangelo's Medici tombs; the figure on the left appears to be Mercury; that on the right may represent thrift. Between these muscular and very movemented figures is a plaque bearing the word "Bank". The 1st-floor window above is incorporated into this grand entrance aedicule and has a shouldered and eared architrave topped by a pediment formed from a raking cornice only; this latter feature repeated on all 1st-floor windows of the main 3-storey block. The 2nd-floor bay window has a shouldered and eared architrave. 2nd-floor return to Camberwell Green treated as a recessed loggia of 3 bays, each marked by a pair of Tuscan columns with single end responds. All ground-floor windows on this elevation have shouldered and eared architraves topped by cartouches, which at the time of writing are covered with a late C20 sign fascia. There is an entablature with bracketed cornice, the whole topped by a balustrade, continuous over the

main block; obelisk caps at corners and rear. Steeple of 2 stages above canted bay, corner pilasters to 1st stage; 2nd stage sets back and has urns and coupled Tuscan columns at corners. The lower wing is, by comparison, informal and rambling, though united with the first by the use of similar materials. Its notable features include: shallow canted bay with triple, mullioned windows of stone to 1st and attic floors; bay rises from elaborate carved cartouche; 2nd flat-arched entrance with original panelled door and Art Nouveau-inspired hardware. Stacks to party and end walls. INTERIOR: through double doors of original design to domed foyer; interior door surround is a wood aedicule no less exuberant than that outside.

Listing NGR: TQ3250876759