Thatched former bank granted Grade II listed status

A prominent thatched building that was once used as a bank has been granted Grade II listed status.

The former Lloyds on Main Street, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, has been listed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, following advice from Historic England.

Built in 1931, the building is a rare example of a purpose-built commercial bank designed in the vernacular style, complete with a thatched roof, the charity said.

Tony Calladine, East of England regional director at Historic England, said: "This distinctive and rare thatched commercial building is an important part of Littleport's character and our national story."

The government department sets out the criteria and principles for assessing whether a building is of architectural or historical interest.

Historic England said the building was designed to include a banking hall and manager's office, together with private living accommodation for the bank manager and their family.

The living space was reported to have included a dining room, pantry, kitchen and a coal store on ground level, with five bedrooms, a drawing room and bathroom on the first floor.

The reed-thatched roof, decorative pargetting and ornate carved doorways demonstrated "exceptional traditional craftsmanship", Historic England said.

The building was designed by architects Henry Munro Cautley and Leslie Barefoot for Lloyds Bank, and incorporated "vernacular East Anglian character".

Cautley and Barefoot designed several buildings for Lloyds in the region, including those in Norwich, St Ives, Wisbech and King's Lynn, all of which were also Grade II listed.

Calladine added: "It is something for locals to be proud of and we'd love to hear people's memories of the bank through our Missing Pieces Project on our website."

Historic England said the former bank was adapted for use as offices in the early 21st Century, before the interior was converted to residential flats in 2016.

Tom Neat, director of Techneat Holdings, said: "The bank in the heart of Littleport was an important building when the rural farming economy was thriving.

"It is great to see that the design and architecture is now being recognised and that it will be preserved for future generations."

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