Lloyds Bank, Bristol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lloyds Bank |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Bristol |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°27′13″N 2°35′45″W / 51.4536°N 2.5958°W |
| Construction started | 1854 |
| Completed | 1858 |
The Lloyds Bank building (grid reference ST587729) is a really old and fancy building located at 53 & 55 Corn Street in Bristol, England. It's known for its amazing design and interesting history.
A Grand Design
This impressive building was originally home to the West of England and South Wales Bank. It was built between 1854 and 1858. The main architects were William Bruce Gingell and T.R. Lysaght, both from Bristol.
William Bruce Gingell was a very forward-thinking architect of his time. He also designed the General Hospital in Bristol. For the bank building, Gingell was inspired by the famous St Mark's library in Venice, Italy.
The building features amazing detailed carvings called friezes. These were created by a talented sculptor named John Thomas. He was also in charge of the carvings on the new Houses of Parliament in London.
What the Decorations Mean
The carvings on the building are not just pretty; they tell a story! On the ground floor, you can see the crests, or symbols, of five important towns: Newport, Bath, Bristol, Exeter, and Cardiff. These were the main places where the bank did business.
On the first floor, there are life-sized figures. These figures represent important ideas like justice, integrity, education, and charity. They also show peace, plenty, art, science, and commerce.
Even higher up, you'll find cute cherubs, which are like small angels. These cherubs show what the bank did every day. They are seen receiving, paying, and storing money. They also show coining money, engraving, and printing. Some even show trading with far-off places like Africa and America.
All these fancy decorations were meant to show how rich and stable the bank was. Sadly, even with all this show of wealth, the bank went out of business in 1878, about 20 years after the building was finished.
From Bank to Hotel
Inside the building, you can still see the fancy design. There are grand Corinthian columns, which are a type of classical pillar.
The building is so special that it's a grade II* listed building. This means it's protected because of its historical importance. After being a bank for many years, it has now been turned into a beautiful 42-room boutique hotel and luxury spa.
