Looking at Buildings

, printed from the Looking at Buildings website on Tuesday 19th March 2024

York Street

Spring Gardens [1] is the centre of Manchester's financial quarter.

On the corner of York Streetis Charles Heathcote's superb former Parrs Bank of 1902. His usual bold Edwardian BaroqueGlossary Term [2], with Art NouveauGlossary Term [3] motifs in the ironwork. All of red sandstone with an angle dome and corner entrance. The arched windows have paired DoricGlossary Term [4] columns between, supporting nothing more than big scrolled brackets. The banking hall (now used as a pub/restaurant) is amongst the most opulent of any of the date surviving in Manchester, and for that matter, in London. First a foyer in mahogany with IonicGlossary Term [5] columns framing the doors, then the sumptuous banking hall, with green marble walls and IonicGlossary Term [6] columns. The ceilings are encrusted with richly moulded plasterwork, and some of the original stained glass survives in the windows.

Last updated: Monday, 26th January 2009