Description

BIDEFORD

SS4526 HIGH STREET
842-1/5/139 (North side)
08/11/49 No.86
National Westminster Bank incl Bank
Chambers
(Formerly Listed as:
HIGH STREET
(North side)
No.86)
(Formerly Listed as:
THE QUAY
Doctor's Surgery adjoining Bank)

GV II

Bank and offices. Early or mid C19; part of it (probably the
left-hand section) probably c1853 by RD Gould of Barnstaple.
Solid rendered walls. Slate roofs; left-hand section a
mansard, that to right (on the corner) hipped. 3 rendered
chimneys with bracketed cornices.
Plan consists of 3 distinct builds: a relatively low block to
left of High Street frontage, a taller corner block, and
another low block at the rear, fronting King Street.
3-storeyed corner block; the others 2-storeyed. Left-hand
block facing High Street is of 5-window range. Ground storey
is of vermiculated blocks; round-arched windows (the middle
one originally a doorway) with moulded imposts and large
bearded-head keystones; 2-paned casements with 2-paned
transom-lights. Upper-storey windows have rusticated
architraves with triple keystones; pedestal-course below;
6-paned sashes. Modillioned eaves cornice surmounted by a
balustrade.
Corner block has 3-window front to High Street and 5-window
front to The Quay. Horizontally-channelled ground storey;
panelled double-doors in place of middle window to High
Street. Second-storey windows have moulded architraves on
continued bracketed sills; pulvinated friezes, cornices
alternating with triangular pediments. Third-storey windows
have moulded cornices on continued sills. Top entablature with
bracketed eaves-cornice; frieze with circular panels. Ground
and third-storey windows have barred sashes; 2 panes over 4
panes in ground storey to High Street, 6 over 6 panes to The
Quay; 3 over 6 panes in the third storey. Second storey has
3-paned wood casements with 2-paned transom-lights.
Rear wall has round-arched third-storey window (visible from
The Quay) with moulded architrave and vermiculated keystone.
Block facing King Street is 4 windows wide. Panelled
double-doors with 3-paned fanlight in place of left-hand
window; left jamb has attractive name-plates and bell-pushes,
perhaps of the 1930s. All windows have barred sashes: 6 over 6
panes in ground storey, 3 over 6 panes in second storey.
Moulded plinth in ground storey, continued sills in second
storey. Tall panelled parapet, wholly concealing the roof.
INTERIOR partly inspected. Ground-floor banking-hall
remodelled in late C20, although lowered ceiling may conceal
earlier detail. Entrance to Bank Chambers in King Street has
Georgian-style wooden staircase (probably 1930s) with ramped
handrail and thick square-section balusters. The builder is
believed to have been EB White of Bideford.
(Grant A: The Book of Bideford: 1987-: P.72; Morris: Directory
of Devonshire: 1870-: P.348; Bideford Community Archive;
newspaper cutting).

Listing NGR: SS4544426611

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26637939

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

• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments