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Summary

Bank built in 1854 with a slightly later extension at the far end, on Cross Street. Later used as a shop, building society and other offices.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1385170: 86 AND 86A, HIGH STREET (See details for further address information)

Other References/Statuses

• North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit Site Code: ND124
• North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit Site Code: ND47

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BANK (FINANCIAL) (XIX to XXI - 1854 AD to 2012 AD)

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map (Cartographic). SDV338879.

Building marked as Bank.

French, K. + French, C., 1957, Devonshire Plasterwork, 129, 131 (Article in Serial). SDV4676.

Elaborate enriched rib ceiling. Layout taken from John Abbott's book of designs. Dated 1620.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1991, North Devon Archaeological Site Code Index, Site Code ND47, 124 (Report - non-specific). SDV63429.

High Street (Skents). Monitoring of demolition to rear of High Street undertaken in 1985 (ND47).
Monitoring of rebuilding works in Cross Street in 1987 (ND124).

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

86 and 86a High Street, including 21 Cross Street.
National Provincial Bank, later shop, building society and other offices. 1854, with slightly later extension at far end of Cross Street front. High Street front of oolitic limestone ashlar; return to Cross Street of red brick with similar stone dressings. Rear wing to Cross Street of red brick with dressings of limestone and granite. Roof of main range not visible from street, but has red brick chimney with moulded stone cap and 3 chimneypots with pockets at right-hand end of return front. Rear wing has slated mansard roof. Two-room plan to main range; main and back stairs in rear wing. Italianate style. Three storeys, with garret over rear wing. Main range has 2-window range to High Street and 3 windows to Cross Street. Ground storey rebuilt in 20th century. Upper storeys to High Street are rusticated, with pedestal course below the 2nd-storey windows and a modillioned top cornice. Left-hand window in each storey has an eared architrave. Right-hand side has matching window in 2nd storey set in a recess rising through both storeys. Square flanking columns between antae support an entablature, above which is a round arch with scroll keystone; within the arch is a cartouche carrying a coat of arms and flanked by horns of plenty. Beneath them is carved NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK. Balustraded balcony in front of the window. Flanking the recess is a pair of attached columns with enriched Ionic capitals. Entablature breaks forward above each one, where it is surmounted by a large urn. Return front to Cross Street has broad rusticated pilaster and section of entablature at each end; windows in centre have eared architraves, those in 2nd storey with pulvinated friezes and cornices. Rear wing is 4-windows wide; segmental-headed windows with keystones, those in upper storey with barred sashes. Pedestal-course below 2nd storey. Left-hand bay differs in having a round-arched stair window, set in a shallow recess rising through 2nd and 3rd storeys. In ground storey, second bay from right has round arched doorway with rusticated granite surround; fanlight with ornate cast-iron grille. The original ground storey to High Street, with rusticated masonry, is shown in a photograph of 1881.
Interior: first-floor front rooms have cornices enriched with rosettes and egg-and-dart. Left-hand room has white marble chimneypiece with flanking pilasters, frieze and moulded shelf; pilasters have incised decoration, frieze has fleur-de-lys at each end and wreath in centre. Cast-iron grate inscribed WRIGHTS PATENT BIVALVE. Plainer marble chimneypieces on second floor and in wing. Main stair, rising from first floor, is a wooden open-well with closed strings, thin, round iron balusters and continuous handrail; latter is voluted at the foot round a lily pattern iron newel.
Historical Note: the National Provincial Bank opened its branch on this site in 1835. In 1854 RD Gould advertised for a contractor to rebuild the bank according to a design prepared by the architect to the bank. It is not clear whether the architect was Gould himself or someone employed nationally by the bank.

Southwest Archaeology, 2013, Greater Barnstaple Area Project Database, Mapping Area 38, 113, BHBS 1046 (Un-published). SDV351581.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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