Description

MANCHESTER

SJ8497NW OXFORD STREET
698-1/32/268 (East side)
03/10/74 Former Refuge Assurance Company
Offices
(Formerly Listed as:
OXFORD STREET
Refuge Assurance Company Offices)

GV II*

Insurance company offices. 1891 by Alfred Waterhouse, extended
1910 and 1912 by his son Paul Waterhouse, and further extended
in 1930s. Steel frame, clad in red brick with liberal
dressings of deep brown and buff terracotta, and grey
Dalbeattie granite to base of tower. Irregular plan formed by
original square block on corner of Whitworth Street, block to
south of this added 1910 (triangular at rear), tower between
and linking these added 1912, and rectangular block added to
east end of original Whitworth Street range in 1930s. Very
large and ornate eclectic design with French Renaissance
accent and some Baroque features. Four storeys with basements
and attics, the first block with a large corner element and
then 6-bay facades to both streets, next the tower flanked by
deep 1-bay re-entrants, with 3-bay porch in front, and a 6-bay
range beyond this; with brick piers, enriched bands between
floors, undulating parapets, tiered shaped gables to the end
bays and a tiered octagonal turret with domed roof between
those at the Whitworth Street corner, and a very tall square
clock-tower, pilastered and banded, with a prominent cornice
and Baroque cupola. Large closely-spaced cross-windows to the
first 3 floors, coupled 2-light mullioned windows to the top
floor, all with elaborate terracotta surrounds including
twisted columns, pierced aprons (etc) and those at 2nd floor
with decorated segmental pediments. The corner element has a
round-headed doorway with richly-ornamented terracotta
surround carried up to 1st floor and finished with a toy-sized
fort; various small rectangular windows in the right-hand
side, and a mullioned and transomed window in the left side
tiered through 4 floors. Main entrance at base of tower in
single-storey 3-bay porch of white granite in Baroque style,
with round-headed central arch in projected surround of
engaged Tuscan semi-columns, broken segmental pediment (etc),
flanked by square-headed openings with Ionic columns, and
swagged bulls-eye windows and balustraded parapets above.
Interior: inside porch, enclosed forecourt surrounded by
massive arcades and colonnades in buff glazed terracotta, with
doorways, niches (etc) in Baroque style; other parts believed
to be of similar quality, but not inspected. Very conspicuous
landmark, and probably the apogee of "Manchester style" late
C19 commercial architecture.

Listing NGR: SJ8414597533

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Refuge Assurance Building at Wikipedia
• Refuge Assurance Building official website
• Wikidata Q7307626

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  For the Record
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)