Description

SE3033SW
714-1/78/42
22/03/74

LEEDS

THE BOURSE
(West side)
No.3
(Formerly Listed as:
ALFRED STREET
(West side)
No.2)
(Formerly Listed as:
BOAR LANE
(South side)
No.22
National Westminster Bank)
(Formerly Listed as:
BOAR LANE
(South side)
No.23)
(Formerly Listed as:
NEW STATION STREET
(East side)
Nos.1-7)

GV
II

Bank, shop and restaurant. Former No.22, 1869-72. For the
shareholders of the Leeds Mercantile Bank, (John Holmes and
Co), probably by Thomas Ambler. Former No.23, c1873. Ashlar,
with polished granite dressings. Slate roofs.
Former No.22 in Italianate style. Corner site of 4 storeys
plus attic; 3 windows to Boar Lane, 1 corner window and 5
windows to Alfred Street at first-floor level.
Ground floor: deeply recessed panelled double doors to right
on Boar Lane and to left on Alfred Street, in richly decorated
round arches with paired flanking attached columns and foliate
capitals in the reveals; low 2-leaf cast-iron gates, bars
having interlaced foliage and lock rail ornamented with curved
bars and knobbed finials to Boar Lane entrance; pilasters
carved with swags and animals including the owl badge of Leeds
alternate with granite columns and carry deeply-carved
capitals supporting an arcade with Classical detailing across
both facades.
1st and 2nd floors: richly decorated round arches, pilasters
and column shafts as ground floor, the architraves less
elaborate at each storey. Deep cornices to each floor; heavy
modillion cornice to eaves and high pierced parapet with
2-light attic window and large segmental pediment surmounted
by a scrolled finial; 2 similar attic windows to Alfred Street
facade.
Former No.23 in Gothic Revival style. Corner site, 4 storeys.
Narrow 1-window facade to Boar Lane; 4-window elevation to New
Station Street.
Boar Lane: each floor has 3-light stone mullion and transom
window with vertically divided panels between floors; 3rd
floor has cusped ogee-headed lights. Panelled stone gable;
moulded strings. New Station Street: 2-light version of Boar
Lane facade; brick panels between windows which are carried up
above eaves line as small gables; strong courses continue from
front. C20 shop front.
INTERIOR: Boar Lane entrance to bank has original richly
detailed mahogany panelled lobby and inner double doors in
glazed partition with carved attached columns and panels with
swags and scrolls in relief. The ground floor is a single
large room with cross wall partitioning off the stair-well
which is entered from Alfred Street and dealt with separately.
The banking hall has an elaborate framed plaster ceiling, the
cross beams decorated with Classical motifs. Position of
blocked doorway to stair hall indicated by ceiling moulding
against east end of partition wall. 6-panel door to small room
at west end of same wall contains hoist to basement strong
room.
Basement: walls lined with white tiles; strongroom below west
side of banking hall; the hoist doors open onto a narrow
passage opposite Chubb-made door with inner grille. Strongroom
has outer and inner room, divided by a 2nd grille, the outer
with probably original cupboard with deed drawers, the inner
having one possibly original free-standing safe with maker's
name: 'Milners, London/Liverpool'.
First floor: inserted partitions, 2 fireplaces against west
wall; 1 against east, all blocked. Deep moulded ceiling
cornice appears to be continuous, suggesting that the room was
not originally partitioned. 4 moulded brackets with scrolls
and female head suggest line of beams above C20 underceiling.
2nd floor: door from stair-well probably original, the top
panels replaced by glazing. 2 original fireplaces; at north
end of west wall and against the east wall. Both have stone
shelf and surround, the latter carved in deep relief with
foliage and profile busts, of Dante and Beatrice and Prince
Albert and Princess Victoria; round-arched opening with carved
key stone, cast-iron grate. The third fireplace blocked.
3rd floor: 3 fireplaces as below, that to north end of west
wall having plain jambs with brackets.
4th floor: 2 fireplaces against west wall survive, with plain
stone surrounds and cast-iron grate.
Staircase well: cantilevered stone stair rises through 2
straight flights with curved wall to half-landing on each
floor. Plain outer handrail attached to wall; very fine
continuous moulded wooden rail on cast-iron balustrade, the
balusters of open work with scrolls and vine leaves; the
lowest flight removed when C20 security door inserted, but
otherwise continuous to top storey. A short length of
balustrade also survives in the basement.
HISTORICAL NOTE: former No.22 sold in 2 lots to Mr Bramham
when the south side of Boar Lane was redeveloped in 1869, and
in 1872 the new 'Bank Buildings' was occupied by Leeds
Mercantile Bank and Rooke and Midgley, Solicitors. The only
building on Boar Lane to retain its original ground-floor
frontage and has been described as one of the finest
commercial buildings of this date in Leeds.
New Station Street was planned in 1873; the first occupant was
Henry D Harrison, confectioner and restaurant proprietor.
(Leeds Public Library: Deeds relating to sale of properties on
S side of Boar Lane: 1869-; Porter T: Directory of Leeds and
its Neighbourhood: Leeds: 1873-).

Listing NGR: SE3008333352

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26547473

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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