National Westminster Old Bank Part Of The National Westminster Old Bank

This is a late 18th-century bank building on a corner site, altered in later centuries, with an adjoining early 19th-century building. The corner building fronts onto Market Place and also St John’s Street, incorporating the property at number 41 St John’s Street.

The Market Place elevation is three storeys and an attic, with cellars. The ground floor is stone and stuccoed, featuring rusticated and vermiculated quoins and surrounds to the windows, resting on a projecting plinth. A moulded string runs above the springing of the arches, followed by plain frieze and cornice with a stone band. The upper part of the building is brick with stone architrave window surrounds and stone key blocks. A moulded cornice with bracketed ornamentation supports a brick parapet with stone coping. The roof is hipped and slate-covered, with a mansard. There are three 18th-century two-light dormers with slate cheeks. The upper floors have five windows; the lower two floors feature sash windows without glazing bars, while three round-headed windows on the first floor have glazing bars. The ground floor has a door to the left and four windows recessed within arches, also without glazing bars. Brackets are positioned at the springing of the arches, and the cill incorporates the architrave surround. The doors are six-panel and studded, with arched top panels. Four segmental-headed cellar windows have vermiculated voussoirs and plain grilles. A later one-storey extension to the right features a six-panel door, architrave surround, cornice, and a pediment on scroll brackets. The St John’s Street elevation has two dormers and three windows, with two on the second floor lacking glazing bars, matching the general design. The ground floor of both fronts was altered in the 19th century. An old print depicts the Market Place front with a central door and four windows.

The adjoining building at number 41 St John’s Street is early 19th century and constructed from Bath stone. It has a rusticated ground floor on a projecting plinth and a wide string at first floor level, supported by two fluted Ionic columns flanking the central bay and outer square piers, all with carved bases and caps, supporting an entablature. A slate roof tops the building. There are three windows on the first floor, a false centre window on the second floor, and recessed sash windows with intact glazing bars. Two semi-circular headed windows are on the ground floor, and a six-panel double door (mahogany) is located on the left, with a plain arched fanlight. The ground floor windows and door are recessed within arches with voussoir heads.

The listed buildings on the South West and South East sides of Market Place, the Market Hall, Market Cross, and the Fountain form a group. The National Westminster Old Bank combines to form a fine group with numbers 23 to 41 (consec) St John’s Street.