Description

Thomson and Sandilands, 1897-98. Free Renaissance
4-storey commercial building. Dunmore ashlar sandstone.
Base course, ground floor cill course and cornice, and
consoled main cornice. Raised bands to angle pilasters
above ground. 3 wide bays to Buchanan Street with 9
bays on return in Royal Bank Place; full-height splayed
corner bay with ornate Jacobean doorpiece of polished
granite columns, consoled cornice and obelisk flanked
heraldic shield; decorative wrought-iron overthrow and
2-leaf gates; decorative narrow windows flanking
entrance. 1st floor windows of corner bay with segmental
pedimented heads broken by torches; carved panels above
cornices of 2nd floor windows.
BUCHANAN STREET ELEVATION: 2 recessed windows at right
with keystoned round arches and flanked by attached
columns in antis. Bronze cartouche denoting Royal
Insurance Company to right; modern shop front to centre
and left bays. Central tripartite at 1st floor, canted
consoled oriel at 2nd, with aediculed centre light;
consoled open pediments to 1st floor windows of outer
bays, and corniced bipartites to those of 2nd floor, with
carved panels above. 3rd floor windows with paired
pilaster jambs. Blocking course raised in die flanked
panel at centre with carved cartouche and obelisk finials.
Corner bay crowned by squat octagonal ashlar turret,
with cartouches, consoled cornice and facetted roof
terminating in ornate cast-iron crown.
ROYAL BANK PLACE ELEVATION: symmetrical. Consoled
cornice to doorway at centre, with urn finialled, flush
balcony to window above; centre bay surmounted by
modillioned segmental pediment flanking blocking courses,
and obelisk finials. Wallhead stack above adjoined to
octagonal tower to left.
N RETURN ELEVATION TO N COURT LANE: 2 original ashlar
bays of simple bipartites to left side at 1st, 2nd and 3rd
floors, with single lights to right, and cill courses to
each; linked wallhead stacks with moulded coping.
Recessed bays of glazed brick later addition to E.
Variety of glazing patterns to sash and case windows,
with 2-pane lower and small-pane upper sashes predominating.

Statement of Interest

Thomson and Sandilands won the commission in competition

also entered by Honeyman and Keppie.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17811375

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

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas