Barclay's Bank

Barclay's Bank is an important building located at the junction of Commercial Street and Park Road, designed in the French Chateau style. It stands on a narrow site and acts as a visual landmark. The most significant elevation is the narrow end, constructed from yellow ashlar limestone of the Bath type. The building features three storeys and an attic, topped with a conical Welsh slate roof and a small lead cupola.

The ground floor includes arched windows flanking a panelled door, which is adorned with a small pediment and fanlight above. The windows on this level appear to have iron frames and central mullions. A cornice creates a cill band at the first floor, which has a central paired sash window set within a pilastered, consoled, and pedimented surround. The pilasters extend to the second floor, which features another paired window, and continue into the attic where the window is topped by a shaped gable with a ball finial. All windows are two-pane sashes, with most displaying decorative glazing in the upper sash and plain glass in the lower sash. Strip pilasters rise on either side through both floors, supporting bands, a cornice, and a parapet.

The elevation facing Commercial Street has three additional bays with paired windows between pilasters, leading to a cornice and parapet similar to the main elevation. There is also an extra bay of a different design but from the same period, which has been incorporated into the bank premises. This section features ashlar on the ground floor and thin coursed rubble above, accented with ashlar and red brick dressings. It includes a paired window on the ground floor and a doorway with a rusticated surround to the left. The first floor has a two-light oriel window, the second floor contains a paired window, and the attic features a double window with a decoratively carved pediment above.

The Park Road elevation is constructed of yellow Blaendare bricks with freestone dressings, and the window details mirror those of the Commercial Street elevation.

Inside, the ground floor has been completely refitted, but the basic room layout, which is only partially visible, may largely remain unchanged.