Former NatWest Bank

A former branch of the London and County Bank (later NatWest Bank) of 1908, designed by Eric Thompson and James Thomas Walford in a neo-Georgian style.

MATERIALS AND PLAN: multistock brick, laid in English bond with rubbed brick and Portland stone dressings with a hipped roof of green slates with lead flashings. The building is of three storeys.

EXTERIOR: both principal facades, facing south to the High Street and east to Church Street have five bays, symmetrically disposed, with the outer bays defined by rubbed brick pilasters. Between the first and second floors a continuous entablature runs around both fronts with rubbed brick to the architrave and to the frieze which has a continuous band of festoons in high relief. The cornice is of stone with modillions. Around the base is a stone plinth and to the top of the wall is a stone balustrade with vase balusters. The lower two floors have segmental heads to the sash windows and the top storey has flat arched heads. Ground-floor windows have dark stained oak glazing bars and frames, and stone surrounds with lugs and shoulders and aprons. The first floor windows are multi-pane, architrave and flush exposed sashes of six-over-six form and have rubbed brick surrounds with matching aprons, all window openings having keystones. The ground floor on the southern side has a doorway to the far left with an aedicular surround of stone with an open pediment supported on brackets, an arched fanlight and panelled door. To far right is a smaller doorway, also in an elaborate surround with an oval window above. The western front has a similar doorway to far left. The right-hand bay on this flank is slightly canted to accommodate the angled ground plan of the site. Chimney stacks remain to full height with moulded caps.

INTERIOR: not inspected.