Survey Data

Reg No

15321026


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural, Artistic, Social


Original Use

Bank/financial institution


Date

1880 - 1900


Coordinates

233433, 235388


Date Recorded

18/08/2004


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

End-of-terrace four-bay two-storey former bank, built c.1890, now vacant and out of use. Pitched natural slate roof with rendered chimneystacks to either end, cast-iron rainwater goods and a rendered eaves cornice. Ruled-and-line rendered walls over projecting plinth. Rendered string course at fascia level. Square-headed window openings to first-floor with one-over-one pane timber sliding sash windows and cut stone sills. Pair of segmental-headed window openings to ground-floor with shared cut stone sill, carved stone surrounds with keystone detail and two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows. Segmental-headed door opening to west end of façade with cut stone surround comprising console brackets supporting arch with keystone detail. Timber panelled door and plain glass overlight. Rendered fascia panel with raised stucco lettering above ground floor windows with cornice over supported by console brackets. Building faces onto the market square adjacent to main road.

Appraisal

A modest late nineteenth-century bank building with subdued classical detailing. It was purpose-built to designs by Millar and Symes, who carried out numerous building projects for The Bank of Ireland in the (very) late nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. This structure is less ambitious in terms of scale and decoration than many earlier purpose-built bank buildings in the towns of Westmeath, possibly on account of the worsening economic climate in Ireland at the time. This building retains its form and fabric, but has some nice stucco and cut stone detailing of artistic merit, and continues to make a positive contribution to the architectural heritage of Kilbeggan.