Barclays Bank

Details

SAFFRON WALDEN

TL5338 MARKET PLACE
669-1/1/284 (East side)
01/11/72 Barclays Bank
(Formerly Listed as:
MARKET PLACE
Premises occupied by Barclays Bank)

GV II*

Bank. 1874. By W Eden Nesfield. For Gibsons and Tuke, bankers
of Saffron Walden. Red brick with stone dressings and
ornamental detail in mixed Gothic style, essentially
Elizabethan. L shaped plan originally but now lengthened by
C20 single storey, flat roofed extensions to rear.
W front elevation: 3 storeys and attics, hipped, peg-tiled
roofs and prominent Tudor stacks behind panelled, irregular,
rosette-ornamented, lead parapet, 2 principal units.
Unit to N: 2 window range over deep podium with 2 moulded
string courses, windows have moulded mullions and transoms
with splayed sills, dressing quoins flush but irregular.
Windows ground floor, each of 2x4 lights, lower lights plain
fixed glazing, upper 3 have small leaded coloured panes in
geometrical shapes, first floor windows each 4x2 lights,
leaded panes, lower coloured, upper clear, second floor
windows, 3x1 lights, metal casements with central horizontal
glazing bars, also a small single light window to outer N and
S edges, dormer window under central prominent hip with
gablet, 3 cants, 5 casement lights with glazing bars, one 2x2
panes, three 2x3 panes, one 2x2 panes, stacks each side of
central roof hip, shaped shafts and heads.
Unit to S: shorter, with ground floor internal porch, moulded
2-centred archway with steps rising to raised floor, 2-leaved
panelled doors with G.T. and saffron flower and apple
ornament, spandrel decorated with storks (Gibson's motif),
adjacent doorway to domestic quarters, flat ogee arch with
lion head and leaf enrichment, door boarded and battened,
above, overlight in pedimented frame, iron grille,`G.T.' in
each spandrel and `1874 Walden' in pediment. Above, over
principal archway, 3-light mullioned window with leaded panes.
Wall above splayed in to create facade break, outer S edge has
buttress rising from splay, windows in general style, first
floor, 3-light mullioned window, second floor a 2-light
casement window, to outer S edge, long 2 and 3-light window
bridging storeys with similarly proportioned lower blind
panel. A prominent lead down-pipe in 2 sections with elaborate
water heads at parapet and ground/first floor levels.
Rear, E elevation: similar to front, with stairway and
domestic unit to S of less depth, ground floor obscured by
additions but have plain stone mullioned windows. Principal
unit to N has 2-window range, wooden frames with glazing bars,
first floor, mullions and transoms, 4x2 lights, 2x3 and 2x2
panes. Second floor, mullions, 4-lights, glazing bars, each
2x3 panes, rosette parapet with dormer behind similar to
front, also stacks as front, each side. S unit partially flush
with N but rises only to first storey with transomed window,
glazing bars, 2x5 panes, flat roof and parapet. To S, recessed
stair area with ground floor slate lean-to porch, panelled
door, overlight and adjacent sash window with glazing bars,
2x5 panes. First floor, mullioned and transomed window of 4
lights, glazing bars, two 2x3 and two 2x2 panes, second floor,
2-light casement window, glazing bars, each light 2x3 panes
decorative dormer window behind rosette parapet, flat
rectangular head with central crest, 3-cant window with frieze
lights round cants and central 4x4 paned window, side cheeks
unglazed. N end elevation: mainly obscured by adjacent
property but high plain side wall with 3 tall prominent stacks
in red brick, central broadest, shafts have chamfered
pilasters up to stepped expanded heads.
INTERIOR: ground floor banking hall, altered at rear to
accommodate rear extensions but contains a plastered ceiling
in Elizabethan style with ribbed panels and pendants, panels
decorated with a vase of flowers and fleur-de-lys and separate
flower designs, room panelled to half-height with
wainscotting, fluted frieze and embattled cornice, some panels
at rear of room carved with named varieties of saffron
flowers, also frieze of windows with coloured leaded panes in
geometrical shapes. S side of room has large fireplace in
fossiliferous limestone, flat arch with deep moulding carried
down to high stops on jambs, stone integral fender, fireplace
splays have majolica tiles, wooden overmantel panelled and
embattled with flower frieze. Entry doors to hall, from porch,
2 leaves, panelled with upper glazed panels of coloured leaded
panes, each 3x4. Private domestic stairway at S end, dogleg,
stone, with slender cast-iron newel and balusters, fine leaf
and stem decoration alternating with palmette, shaped oak
handrail with scroll. Nesfield also worked in adjoining
parishes of Radwinter (church restoration and shops) and
Newport (Grammar School).
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Ratcliffe E: Essex:
London: 1965-: 51, 334).


Listing NGR: TL5390238539

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

370669

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Essex, (1965), 51, 334

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.