Iconic building unveiled in Inverness in 1848
THE Caledonian Banking Company's new building was revealed in its full glory in the High Street when the "ponderous" scaffolding was removed in November.
The Inverness Courier noted the new headquarters occupied one of the town's most public sites and felt that the design chosen by the directors did credit to their liberality and honour to the town.
"The front is without doubt the finest of any building in the north," it reported. "The basement is on a line with the street. Six Doric columns give a suitable appearance of strength to the lower part of the building and on each side are the entrances to the bank and the manager's house, with carved archways."
It went on to describe the four fluted columns with fine-carved Corinthian capitals supporting a magnificently-carved massive pediment featuring figures representing unity, the Ness, commerce, plenty and the county's rural interests.
The company had been established in the town in 1838 as a joint stock company with a nominal capital of £125,000. Its banknotes contained a Gaelic motto – Tir nam Beann, nan Gleann, s'an Gaisgeach – Land of Mountains, Glens and Heroes.
Between 1838 and 1845, it established 20 branches around the Moray Firth, Caithness and Wester Ross but its expansion eastwards caused friction with the Aberdeen-based North of Scotland Bank which saw the Caledonian as encroaching on its patch.
The main customers were mainly farmers, Highland gentry, fishermen, whisky distillers and grain factors.
