British Listed Buildings

Listing Text

POWIS STREET, SE18

Nos 125-153 (odd)
TQ 4379 8/1 (RACS Headquarters
Building )

II

Large commercial premises with retail outlet. 1903, by F Bethall for Royal
Arsenal Co-operative Society. Red brick with terracotta dressings; slate roof.
Italian Renaissance style. 2 to 3 storeys; symmetrical 21-bay facade. Mid C20
plate-glass windows to ground floor. Central 3-storey, 11-bay range: central 4-
storey clock tower has terracotta facade articulated by fluted composite pilasters
to each storey, semi-circular moulded arch set on Composite jambs to doorway, statue
of Alexander McLeod (Society's Treasurer) by A. Drury set in open-pedimented
aedicule with Composite pilasters, raised relief lettering bearing Society's motto
etc to 2nd and 3rd storeys, and console cornice beneath copper-domed clock tower
with segmental pediments set on half-columns to angled corners; first floor has
2-light semi-circular arched windows with decorative spandrels revealed in
segmental-arched moulded architraves with pilasters; similar semi-circular arched
architraves to second floor windows; bays are separated by Composite pilasters with
enriched ornament to first-floor console cornice with enriched panelled frieze and
to 2nd floor dentilled cornice with scrolled frieze; gabled outer bays, faced in
terracotta, have canted bay windows with balustrade parapet and fluted Composite
pilasters. 2-storey, 5-bay outer bays, in similar style, each have balustrade
parapet and central scroll-pedimented dormer with Composite pilasters flanking
Ipswich window. The style of this building consciously imitated Harrods of
Knightsbridge.


Listing NGR: TQ4332979051

Source: English Heritage

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence: PSI Click-use licence number C2008002006.