48 Bishopsgate, EC2
Built: 1896
Architect: Hyman Henry Collins & Marcus Evelyn Collins
Location: Bishopsgate
Listing: Grade II (1977)
The small office building at No. 48 is flanked by two very plain houses (one is a listed, 18th century survivor) and occupies a footprint that is only slightly wider than taht of its neighbours . Apart from contrasting vividly with the surrounding Bishopsgate streetscape, now dominated by modern architecture on steroids, this small remnant of the older City preservesa charming little gem of a building.
From the Doric entablature of an implied order, to the arched entrance door frame and ornate, French-like ironwork and dormers, it is replete with a wealth of ornament that, if not excessive, is certainly generous for such a smallish structure.
In its way, it is an excellent example of the dignity and timelessness that properly handled stonework can confer on any structure. A 1932 photograph in the City archives labels it as the offices of the Anglo Czechoslovak and Prague Credit Bank.