Farrow & Ball

Attached six-bay three-storey former bank, built 1866, now in use as shop. Recent third floor addition with recent flat roof. Decorative polychrome brick parapet with carved granite and red brick cornice on carved yellow brick corbels. Red brick laid in Flemish bond to upper floors, with polychrome brick to ends of façade. Lined-and-ruled rendered wall to ground floor, having sculpted foliate cornice to top, roundels having quatrefoil openings, and recessed trefoil openings. Arcade to ground floor comprising pointed arch openings supported on paired or single engaged columns. Round-headed recesses to base of wall, with carved painted masonry surrounds, decorative panels to interior. Square-headed window openings with granite sills and two-over-two pane timber sash windows, continuous granite sill course to first floor windows. Square-headed window openings to arcade to ground floor, having shouldered timber framed windows, continuous painted masonry sill course, inscribed decorative panels to tympana. Square-headed door openings set within arcade, with double-leaf half-glazed timber panelled doors and overlights, inscribed panels to tympana. Some coal-hole covers and cast-iron grilles to granite paving slabs to footpath to front.

This well-composed mid nineteenth-century bank building retains its early form and character. Its architect, Charles Geoghegan, used an Italian Gothic style for this former Royal Bank building, as was characteristic of bank companies, who adopted historic styles to convey a sense of permanence and trust amongst its patrons. The opulence of the render detailing to the ground floor expresses the wealth and stability of the company. Prominently sited at the junction of Cornmarket Street, Bridge Street and High Street, this attractive and imposing building makes a significant contribution to the historic character of the area.