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Summary

Description

Charles and Leslie Ower, assisted by W G Lamond, 1896. 4-storey and attic with Flemish details, former Pearl Assurance building on corner site. Red sandstone ashlar, snecked to rear, polished Peterhead granite base course, grey slate roof. Frieze to 1st and 2nd floors, wallhead frieze; cross- and single transommed windows with moulded jambs, architraved to outer bays with crocketted finial-type capitals to 3rd floor and corbelled frieze detail to 1st and 2nd floors; wallhead dormers with richly detailed pediments and finials; finialled pyramidal-roofed angle tower, corbelled diagonal buttresses with crocketted finials, panelled frieze below small depressed-arched windows at wallhead; corbelled parapet and crowstepped gable with large coped and ridged stack to right pitch at Royal Exchange Lane elevation.

Front elevation: paired panelled doors to centre with depressed-arch fanlights and linked ogival hoodmoulds, flanked by banded colonettes, corbelled parapet with shaped gable flanked by semi-octagonal bases of colonettes which flank mosaic inscription "PEARL ASSURANCE HOUSE" (overpainted circa 1990), 2 single windows at 1st and 2nd floors to support open-work balcony at 3rd floor, 2 further single windows to 3rd floor with bipartite dormer above; cross-windows to left and right bays at ground-3rd floors, further cross-window to large gabled dormer at left, cross-window and 3 single wallhead lights to tower at right.

Royal Exchange Lane elevation: tower bay to left comprising cross-window at ground-3rd floors with open-work balcony at 3rd floor, tower elevation at front elevation; 2 bays to right consisting of single window to left and cross-window to right at 4 floors, gable and stack above.

Interior: majolica tiled stair with wrought iron balusters, gothic detailed safes set into the half landings. Ground floor Assurance office has gothic fireplace with stone chimney hood, Jacobethan ceiling and repetition of Pearl motif and gothic P in doors.

Statement of Special Interest

The words 'PEARL ASSURANCE OFFICE' are inscribed in the mosaic floor of the outer hall of the right hand door and PEARL ASSURANCE BUILDINGS in that of the left hand door.

References

Bibliography

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