Windsor Arcade Building

Free Classical style, ashlar fronted 3-storey block comprising shops and offices flanking a central arcade; slate roof with yellow brick chimney stacks. Seven-bay facade with strong horizontal emphasis to the design created by cornices and deep bands between the floors, that to 2nd floor is blind balustraded. Pilasters divide the bays; Tuscan, part fluted to 2nd floor and fluted Corinthian style to 1st floor; paired pilasters to ends and flanking the central bay, those on the 1st floor have carved figureheads. Pediment treatment to centre above the parapet with pilasters, volute brackets, finials and mini pediment to top; infilled central roundel with keystone flanked by date stone panels; 'Windsor Arcade' lettering below. Horned sash windows to 2nd floor with lugged architraves and keystone; segmental headed tripartite windows to 1st floor with keystones; central bay has 3-windows to both floors, Venetian derived to 1st floor with pediment over central round arched light. Ground floor has overall cornice with fluted paired brackets and panelled pilasters to ends; 2-shops, mostly modernised, to either side of arcade, that to left (Joyell) retains curved windows with colonnettes, splayed entrance and leaded glazed overlight band.

Square headed entrance to the arcade. The 3 bays at either end of the arcade have flat panelled ceilings; between is a steeply arched roof with ribs springing from the pilasters flanking each shopfront, the top part is glazed and has a narrow raised clerestory giving light to the arcade; the arcade slopes up towards the rear and the roof steps up to the middle correspondingly. 5-panel doors, panelled pilasters, fluted brackets and colonnetttes to restored shopfronts of two, alternating, widths. The right hand shop at the front has panelled reveals to doorway and enriched plasterwork bands to ceiling inside carried on cast-iron columns. At the rear the right hand side of the arcade continues for a further bay with similar detail; rounded corner entrance with double half-glazed doors and cast-iron columns. The rear of the block is in yellow brick with pilasters dividing each bay and with red brick band courses creating apron between 1st and 2nd floors; camber headed windows, paired to 2nd floor and mostly cross-frame to 1st floor. Panelled pilasters at ends. Rubble E side with red brick quoins and window dressings.