Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project
Premier House: architectural sculpture Photograph
Region ID | EM | |
Work ID | 91 | |
Manual Reference | LE104TCBMAY | |
Type | Other | |
Title | Premier House: architectural sculpture | |
Sculptor | Barfield, Samuel | |
Date of design | ||
Year of unveiling | c.1875 | |
Unveiling details | ||
Road | Rutland Street | |
Precise Location | Rutland St, at the corner with Colton St; either side of the entrance to Premier House | |
A to Z Ref | 4 E4 (1) | |
OS Ref | SK590044 | |
Postcode | ||
Work is | Extant | |
Listing Status | II | |
Duty of Care | ||
Commissioned by | ||
Notes | ||
Either side of the corner entrance are roundels framing high-relief busts. On the Rutland Street side is Minerva, crowned with an oak leaf wreath, holding a model railway engine in her right hand. On the Colton Street side is Mercury, wearing a winged helmet, holding a caduceus in his right hand and a model sailing ship in his left. The entrance and flanking windows are pointed arched with hood moulds. The stops of the hood moulds are carved in the form of fabulous beasts. Mercury and Minerva are here in their roles as the 'Classical protectors of business and craftsmanship'. (2) | ||
circa | c. | |
raw year | 1875 | |
Condition | Fair | |
At risk | Not at risk | |
Inscriptions | None (apart from roundel over doorway with monogram initials and date 1875 carved amidst foliate design] | |
Signatures | None | |
Elements
Element Details
Part of work | Material | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
Minerva roundel | stone | diam. 84 cm |
Mercury roundel | stone | diam. 84 cm |
hood mould stops | stone | various |
Assessment of Condition
Surface Character
Detail | Comment |
|---|---|
Corrosion, Deterioration | Minerva: stone at base of throat especially weathered; Mercury: weathering on left side of chin |
Other | both busts are grimy |
Structural Condition
Structural Condition | Comment |
|---|---|
Broken, missing parts | Minerva: back part of train has chunk missing; leaves on front part of oak wreath broken; Mercury: crest of helmet lost, uppermost parts of wings missing; front sails of ship slightly damaged; hood mould stops: 4 out of 6 are missing heads |
