59-61 Mark Lane - London, UK
N 51° 30.644 W 000° 04.814
30U E 702601 N 5710664
This five floor building, by George Aitchison from 1864, stands on the east side of Mark Lane in the City of London.
Waymark Code: WMKAVZ
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/11/2014
Views: 5
The building was constructed in 1864 and has probably survived unscathed apart from the odd bit of damage during the Second World War. The facade has been cleaned and probably looks much better sans the grime of the city.
The building is Grade II* listed with the entry at the English Heritage website telling us:
1864, by Aitchison. Distinguished Portland stone building of 4 storeys in modified Byzantine style. Ground storey has segmental window arches and pair of columns to inset, principal entrance. Frieze above with incised decoration. Upper storeys arcaded with carved caps to columns. Decorative bands and ornament in low relief. Simplified cornice. Glazing altered. Internal construction originally of iron, but now apparently replaced or encased.
The Daily Telegraph website under item 21 tells us:
An early block of speculative offices built in 1864 to the design of George Aitchison for the Innes Brothers, who had just set up the City of London Real Property Company. To ensure maximum flexibility the structure comprises wrought-iron beams on cast-iron columns with fireproof brick-arched floors, as in contemporary warehouse construction. The façade is a load-bearing screen wall of refined design thought to be inspired by Ruskin’s Stones of Venice. Over the segmental headed openings at ground floor is a band of sgraffito, while above, the round-headed windows in the upper floors are enclosed with abstract plant motifs. The general effect is of a reticent Venetian Gothic.
The Scottish Architects website tells us:
George Aitchison was born in London on 7 November 1825 and was articled to his father, also George. He attended the RA Schools and London University. In 1859 he was tajken into partnership by his father. He held the post architect to St Katherine's Dock and architect to the parish of Allhallows, Barking; he was District Surveyor of Woolwich in 1868, of East Wandsworth and Tooting Graveney from 1861 and well as holding the post of Surveyor to the Worshipful Company of Founders.