The New Town And County Bank

The new Town and County Bank, Aberdeen, 1862. 'This building for the Aberdeen Town and County Banking Company (from a design by Mr. James Matthews, Aberdeen) is situated at the corner of Union-street and St. Nicholas-street, and has thus two fronts. The exterior is of finely-dressed blue granite, except the columns and arch mouldings of the principal entrance door and of the three fight windows on the first floor, which are of polished red granite. The Corinthian capitals of the pilasters on both fronts are modelled after those in the Temple of Jupiter Stator at Rome, and beautifully cut in granite. The vases on the parapet and other ornaments throughout are also of granite. The bank office is 58ft. long and 32ft. wide, lighted by an elliptical dome 28ft. by 21ft. 6in., the apex of which is 38ft. from the floor. The dome is divided into sixty panels, in three rows, each panel being filled with glass. In the bank office and entrance-hall there are to be polished red granite columns of the Corinthian order. The floors are to be laid with Minton's encaustic tiles, and the woodwork will be of wainscot. The cost of the building, irrespective of the site, will be nearly £13,000.' From "Illustrated London News", 1862. Creator: R. Paterson. (Photo by The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images)