Edwardian Baroque Bank, England

This Edwardian Baroque Bank is a beautiful example of early 20th Century British architecture. The bank closed nearly two decades ago when a merging of branches rendered this building surplus to requirement. I explored this location on a cold a wet day, early in 2022.

Plans were filed a few years ago to redevelop this bank and the surrounding land, but the plans were later withdrawn. As a result, this beautiful building faces and uncertain future.

Exploring an abandoned English Edwardian Baroque Bank bank

This type of architecture is often called Edwardian Baroque, or Neo-Baroque. This architectural style draws upon Classical, Renaissance and Baroque influences.

From the outside, this Edwardian Baroque Bank has a beautiful stone and granite facade. Customers would enter through a main entrance, flanked with polished pink granite columns and below the iconic domed tower. The heavy dark wooden double doors lead into a small but beautifully decorated vestibule. The walls and internal doors have white and black marble slabbing. The ceiling has molded plasterwork. However, the most eye-catching feature for me was the coat of arms mosaic on the floor.

Stepping into the huge banking hall, the scale of this space is impressive. The ceiling is very high, decorated with ornate plasterwork. The walls are a black and lighter off-white marble, the now dirty floor is mosaiced. Once there was a 15m long mahogany counter, as well as various desks and kiosks. Sadly, these have all been removed which leaves the banking hall a rather empty void. Looking back towards the entrance vestibule, there is a wonderful decorative portico. The tall black columns flanking the double doors are Composite order (Corinthian columns, with Ionic volutes at the top of the capital). Above the columns rests a pediment, broken at the apex (a popular Baroque style). To the right of the entrance vestibule portico, there are two smaller/simpler porticos framing doors leading to two small offices.

I explored most of this Edwardian Baroque Bank during my visit. The basement vault and safe area was of particular interest (albeit pitch black and requiring some creating torch-work to illuminate). Upstairs there were some interesting offices and spaces with bright painted walls and interesting textures to photograph. Additionally, a white and green-tiled spiral staircase link the floors below the tower which was a nice feature. There was an original gas lantern on the wall here, but I seemingly forgot to grab a photo of that!