Reliance House And Attached Wall, Piers, Railings And Gates To Forecourt

762-1/0/10003 MANOR ROAD 20-NOV-01 Reliance House and attached wall, piers, railings and gates to forecourt

GV II

Building Society branch and offices. Built in 1930, architect not at present known. Neo-Georgian style with some Egyptian and Art Deco influences. Some minor late C20 alterations. The rear building of the 1970s is not of special interest. Built of brown brick, mainly in Flemish bond with red brick voussoirs and stone dressings but yellow brick to much of side elevations. Two storeys. 2:4 windows to each elevation. Plan is left side ground floor banking hall with staircase to right and offices on first floor.

EXTERIOR: Front elevation has projecting centre with deep cornice, band and stone pediment beneath with carved brackets supported on end rusticated piers and central columns in antis with Egyptian inspired capitals with acanthus leaves and fluting. Central doorcase with open pediment, moulded surround incorporating tablet inscribed "Reliance House", original tapering cast iron lantern with decorative leadwork and oak double doors of three fielded panels each, approached up three granite steps. The original concertina type cast iron security gates survive. On either side of the door are two tall round-headed arches with keystone, metal glazing bars with a circular and lower panel pivoting to open and brick blank panels below. The recessed end bays have small four-light pivoting casements to first floor. The ground floor left side has a similar round-headed window to the others. The right side has a deep round-headed fanlight with pivoting circular aperture and oak doorcase with double doors, three deep fielded panels to each. Attached to the left hand side is a low brick wall with stone coping and eight stone piers with shallow pyramidal caps and cast iron panels. These incorporate central cast iron gates and right side gate with similar pattern. The left side elevation has projecting bay nearest to the road with similar first floor four-light window and round-headed ground floor window to the front elevation. Remainder is in yellow brick with two round-headed windows to ground floor, three small metal windows and first floor windows replaced in later C20 within existing openings. Right side has projecting bay nearest to the road with similar first floor four-light window and round-headed ground floor window to the front elevation. Remainder is of yellow brick with windows replaced in later C20 within original openings.