Hsbc Bank (Including Harbour View Cafe), Whitby, North Yorkshire

Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 28/10/216

665/0/10026

WHITBY,
BAXTERGATE, 4-7,
HSBC Bank (Including Harbour View Cafe)

(Formerly listed as: BAXTERGATE, 3-7, HSBC BANK (INCLUDING MILLS CAFE))
3.9.10

Bank and commercial development, 1892, by Walter Brierley for the York City and County Bank.

MATERIALS
Stone ashlar, red brick with stone dressings, red tile roof.

PLAN
Irregular plot. Principal frontage is to Baxtergate, originally with a run of three shops (two now amalgamated with the bank). Entrance to the bank is set back at the left (north east) end, opening, via a portico, onto a narrow lobby leading through to the banking hall which extends to New Quay Road to the rear. The banking hall is flanked by offices and the lobby has been extended into the former shop to the right.

EXTERIOR
Baxtergate elevation: Two storey with attic, stone ashlar ground floor, red brick with extensive ashlar dressings above. Regular run of three shaped gables with three first floor windows below each gable. These windows have eared architraves, the central third of which extends into the frieze above, supporting a cornice which lacks consol brackets. The windows are linked by four plain ashlar bands. Each gable has an attic window. These also have eared architraves, but these are immediately topped with cornices with no frieze. The sills are shaped and form part of a continuous band. Each gable also features decorative iron tie bar ends. The ashlar ground floor has a plain frieze topped by a cornice. The shop fronts are C20.
The set back entrance to the bank has a portico with a curved front, supported by a pair of pillars and pilasters all with carved capitals featuring a series of individual heads. The portico is topped by a balustrade with a cartouche with "Established 1830" in relief.

New Quay Road elevation: Stone ashlar with a three bay gable, flanked by lower cross wings, single storey to the right (north), two storey to the left, all unified with a tall plinth. The gable has three large, tall, ground floor windows. These are cross mullioned with 9 lights, the lights being leaded, many being modern replacements with surface applied leading. The windows are slightly recessed, the recesses having basket arches, and are divided by engaged columns raised on tall pedestals. These columns support an entablature surmounted by four heraldic lions clasping shields. High in the gable above is a two light attic window set in an eared architrave. Above there is a tall frieze with a swag, all toped by an open segmental pediment with a central pinnacle. The gable also features decorative iron tie bar ends. The side wings are more simply treated, but still retain good detailing such as a dentilated course at the base of the moulded eaves cornice.
The rear of the range fronting onto Baxtergate is set back. This is in red brick without stone dressings and is more utilitarian in design. However it retains windows subdivided with fine glazing bars.

North elevation: This irregular elevation is more prominent now than when first designed because of the realignment of the road and clearance of buildings between the bank and the swing bridge. The right hand bay features the entrance portico described above. To the left is an almost blind gable end with a prominent brick stack. This continues the detailing of the Baxtergate frontage with an ashlar ground floor and stone banded brickwork above. Set back to the left is the prominent roof to the banking hall which has a small louvered dormer to the centre. Extending forward from the banking hall to the left there is the stone ashlar gable of the single storey side wing, this also has a prominent chimney stack. Linking the two gables there is a single storey two bay range in stone with a tall parapet hiding its roof. This section may be a later in-fill, but is sympathetic in design.

INTERIOR
Banking hall: This features a basket arched, vaulted ceiling enriched with ornate plaster mouldings including cherubs, fleur-de-lys and other decoration, all set above a projecting, dentilated cornice. The walls are oak panelled up to a different cornice set just above door lintel height. The banking counter is also oak panelled, the panelling being more ornate than the walls, with the counter itself supported by a series of individually carved brackets each featuring a different motif. There is evidence that there has been some rearrangement of the banking hall in the past with careful modifications to the joinery. Modern security screens are not of special interest. The lobby between the banking hall and the entrance is also oak panelled and shows more evidence of modification, including a large opening into a former neighbouring shop to form additional customer service areas. The double doors at either end of the lobby are considered to be original, retaining ornamented handles and a semicircular fanlight above with curving timber glazing bars. It is also reported that there is a good quality staircase within the secure part of the bank, although this was not inspected. Similarly, office areas were not inspected.

HISTORY
Number 3-7 Baxtergate was built in 1891 for the York City and County Bank, a regional bank with branches as far apart as Doncaster and Sunderland. This banking company was taken over by the Midland Bank in 1918, which was subsumed into HSBC in the later C20. Number 3-7 Baxtergate was designed by the practice of Demaine and Brierley and is attributed to the senior partner Walter Brierley. Over 60 listed buildings are attributed to Brierley, including at least five banks. The original design included three shops to the west of the bank, fronting onto Baxtergate. The bank expanded into the two shops next to it before 1974 with the shop fronts replaced in stonework in 1977. At the time of the inspection the third shop remained separate as Mills Café. Sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s, the junction between Baxtergate and New Quay Road was reorganised with the clearance of a block of buildings between the bank and the swing bridge to the north. This opening up exposed the northern elevation of the bank, making it far more prominent than when the building was originally designed.

REASON FOR DESIGNATION DECISION

Number 3-7 Baxtergate is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architecture: A high quality late C19 design with two contrasting, well-detailed principal elevations, combined with a good quality bank interior.
* Historical Association: An example of the work of the notable late C19 to early C20 architect Walter Brierley.
* Craftsmanship: For the display of quality craftsmanship, particularly the carved detail to stonework of the portico, the wood carving to the banking counter as well as the joinery of the fanlights above the double doors to the bank lobby.

Reasons for Listing

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