Former District Bank

Reasons for Designation

35 Shaw Heath is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * As a good representative example of a small, early C20 bank designed in a neo-Tudor, half timbered style giving a reassuring appearance of longevity and respectability. * The eye-catching exterior design differentiates the bank from the neighbouring properties whilst enlivening the streetscape. * The unassuming yet careful attention to detail and design which unifies the building's external appearance with the internal use of timber panelling and Tudor-arched stone fireplace in the banking hall. * The building retains its design integrity as a bank despite a number of alterations.

Details

701/0/10053
09-DEC-09

SHAW HEATH
35
FORMER DISTRICT BANK

II

Bank, subsequently in office use. 1912 by Manchester architects Barker Ellis and Jones.
MATERIALS: Timber-framing, plaster panels, slate roof and stone stack. Brick to rear.
PLAN: Two storied with basement to front, with manager's office on ground floor, and board room on first floor reached by spiral stair in west corner, tall full-height banking hall behind, with walk-in safe, single-storey ancillary extension, and yard to rear
EXTERIOR: Front elevation of 2 storeys and 3 bays with a wide gabled dormer to the central bay projecting through the low roof. Central bay is timber-framed on a sandstone plinth, with a jettied first-floor supported on 4 giant carved brackets; left bracket depicts a ship, 2nd and 4th brackets bear coats of arms, 3rd bracket carved with date 1912. 5-light mullion and transomed timber windows with leaded lights on both floors; the first-floor window projecting on 4 console brackets. Narrow, recessed left bay is of stone with band of timber framing beneath overhanging eaves. Tall, narrow window with Tudor-arched head and leaded light. Recessed right bay contains a Tudor-arched stone doorway with moulded surrounds and decorated spandrels, and the word BANK in relief lettering over the lintel. Timber double doors. Steep, overhanging slate roof with stone coping and wide central ridge stack.
Night safe inserted below the window in central bay.
INTERIOR: Main entrance has a small porch with a door with Tudor-arched glazing opening into an entrance lobby panelled up to dado level with a doorway to the manager's office on the left, and a second door to the rear opening into the banking hall, both with vertical panelling. Banking hall has public area panelled to two-thirds height, with inset Tudor-arched stone fireplace with carved spandrels to SW rear wall. Timber counter length of NE wall, with modern timber panelling to match original above now separating the public area from the staff area to the rear. Carved relief panel of knight's head and ship set in panel to SE side wall. NW side wall now infilled above panelling. Staff area has panelled pilasters supporting plastered rolled steel joists. Panelled ceiling with recessed skylight of nine large leaded lights; the glass is now removed, though the original glazing bars are still visible (skylight now divided by partition wall over the counter). Original strong room to right rear of banking hall, with a Tudor-arched opening to the left leading to later ancillary extension with new strong room with heavy metal door (possibly from original strong room). Manager's office retains original chimneypiece, picture rail and simple cornicing. Doorway in NW wall opens into a small lobby, also accessible from the banking hall through a Tudor-arched doorway, originally open, but now with a modern door. In the lobby is an original metal spiral staircase, leading up to a board room and down to the basement. Board room retains original chimneypiece and doors.
HISTORY: The bank is dated 1912 and was built as the premises of the Manchester and Liverpool District Banking Co. Ltd. to designs by Manchester architects Barker Ellis and Jones. It became known as The District Bank from 1924 when the company became District Bank Ltd, before becoming the Edgeley branch of the National Westminster Bank in 1970, after a merger. The building's banking role ceased in 1996 and it was subsequently in office use.

SOURCES
J Booker, Temples of Mammon: The Architecture of Banking (Edinburgh, 1990).
Original plans held by royal Bank of Scotland Group Archives: Stockport, Ref No. 454.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION
35 Shaw Heath is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* As a good representative example of a small, early C20 bank designed in a neo-Tudor, half timbered style giving a reassuring appearance of longevity and respectability.
* The eye-catching exterior design differentiates the bank from the neighbouring properties whilst enlivening the streetscape.
* The unassuming yet careful attention to detail and design which unifies the building's external appearance with the internal use of timber panelling and Tudor-arched stone fireplace in the banking hall.
* The building retains its design integrity as a bank despite a number of alterations.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

506075

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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