History

Plans of central section dated 1886; plans of L section dated 1887. Originally developed as houses but soon passed into commercial use.

Exterior

Imposing composition of nine bays, three storeys (four to centre bays) on basement. Grey brown Pennant stone with bathstone dressings (C16 Flemish style reliefs in pediments); with half-timbering to second floor; slate roofs (some replacement), yellow and red brick chimneys and quoins.
Centre of elevation has extra attic storey with bold splayed dormers flanking three-light dormer with shaped pediment.
Second floor has to centre, three-light window flanked by semi-hexagonal bays beyond which are to each side splayed dormer, narrow gable and rectangular end block with semi-hexagonal bay window under splayed roof.
First floor has central three-light window with broken pediment flanked by semi-hexagonal bays with segmental pediments beyond which are, to each side, similar bay then narrow segmentally-headed window then similar bay.
Ground floor has central porch, stairs up to Mannerist fluted Doric pillars with annulets, parapet, segmental pediment, inscription in frieze 'Lansdowne'. Camber headed entrance doorway; panelled double doors, glazing over.
Porch flanked by bay windows with triangular pediments. To L of front similar narrower bay then segmentally headed door.
Beyond door, single storey projecting bank front; bathstone with parapet, six bays articulated by tapering fluted pilasters; three-centred arches to windows and doorway with pediment over bearing date '1833'.
Three ground floor bays to R of block have projecting restaurant and hotel fronts retaining some features similar to bank front e.g. fluted pilasters and pediment with date 1886.
Side elevations have projecting gabled bays (single storey porch to R elevation, demolished to L).

Rear elevation has similar treatment. Central block has smaller polygonal bays with splayed roofs to each side of groups of three windows to each floor. Lower polygonal bays with splayed roofs flank central block. Beyond these, corner blocks set forward, roofs have triangular dormers; L roof has pyramidal roof at angle (lost to R roof).

Reasons for Listing

Group value.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29491449

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

• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)