Number 1, Bank Buildings

A bank of around 1857 for the London and County Bank, constructed by John Howell & Son of Hastings, (architect unknown), extended in the earlier C20.   MATERIALS: constructed of stone with timber or metal windows.   PLAN: originally with twin entrances to the street, one to the west into the banking hall and the other to the east leading to the bank chambers on the upper floors. The side extension has its own entrance.   EXTERIOR: the symmetrical front elevation is neo-classical in style and faces south onto Havelock Road. It is of four storeys and five bays. The ground floor has rusticated masonry and three C20 metal windows to the centre with aprons and metal bank fittings. The window tops are separated by rectangular mouldings, above which is a modern banking fascia beneath a fluted band decorated with patera. The flanking bays contain the entrances which have a pair of three-panel, solid doors under a rectangular fanlight, set within a substantial moulded architrave carrying the inscribed text 'Bank' or 'Bank Chambers' on the head. The architraves are surmounted by stone balconies which appear to be of C20 date and have columnar balusters and are supported by decorative console brackets.   The upper floors are recessed to the centre where they contain a giant order of four fluted columns with Ionic capitals under a cornice. The windows are multi-pane sashes in moulded architraves; square headed under flat heads to the first floor and round-headed with keystones to the second floor. The first floor windows are fronted by iron balconies. The projecting side bays follow the window pattern but have narrower rustication and the windows are recessed with a concave fillet. The top floor has multi-pane casements under segmental arches, surmounted by a dentil band, moulded cornice and balustrade.   The two-bay extension is faced in ashlar stone and is designed in a stripped classical style. It has a modern, metal and granite bank front to the ground floor. To the right side there is a solid door of eight panels, decorated with a circular motif. The first floor has tall, metal-framed windows above a fluted cill band and the second floor has similar but shorter fenestration, above rectangular aprons. The top floor stands above a plain cornice and has segmentally headed multi-pane casements under a plain parapet.   INTERIOR: the banking hall has a lowered ceiling and modern finishes to all the visible walls and partitions. The original interior scheme may survive behind. The bank chambers, upper floors and extension, were not inspected.