A carefully composed bank overlooking road and river shows how nineteenth-century finance announced stability in a small Highland crossing-place.
Quick facts
- Date
- Between 1852 and 1862
- Architect / designer
- Unknown
- Type
- Symmetrical bank building, originally the Caledonian Bank
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB285)
- OS grid reference
- NH 61062 91422
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The harled three-bay house rises two storeys above a raised basement. A slightly advanced, open-pedimented centre bay holds the principal door, while tripartite windows, band courses, bracketed sills and a modillioned eaves course give both main elevations a formal finish. Cast-iron spearhead railings complete the roadside boundary.
Its story
The building first served the Caledonian Bank. Historic Environment Scotland dates it between the 1852 directory, which does not name a branch here, and the 1862 evidence for its presence. Its design was intended to make an impression from the road and from the water.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a substantial mid-nineteenth-century bank whose balanced elevations and strong setting record the growing commercial role of Bonar Bridge.
What to notice
- The open pediment over the centre doorway.
- Tripartite windows arranged on both principal faces.
- Railings and retaining wall negotiating the sloping site.
Reading the surroundings
Treat the building as private unless current signage says otherwise. View from lawful public space without blocking doors, neighbouring property or the road.
Timeline
- 1852 The county directory did not yet record a Caledonian Bank in the village.
- By 1862 The purpose-built branch appears to have been established.
- Later use The premises became associated with the Bank of Scotland name.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The designer, exact completion date and present occupier were not established by the reviewed official records.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Former Caledonian Bank, Bonar Bridge, LB285 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Highland HER: Bank of Scotland, Bonar Bridge — Local record of the former Caledonian Bank, its visual setting and mapped identity.
Location
OS grid reference NH 61062 91422 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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