Statues and symbolism

On the south front above the main entrance there is a carving of the Bank's coat of arms which was completed in 1810 as part of the ornamentation of the original building.  The coat of arms consists of a shield bearing the saltire cross, surrounded by four gold bezants i.e. heraldic representations of coins.  Flanking this are the twin figures of Justice, with her scales, and Plenty with her cornucopia of money.  The Latin motto ‘Tanto Uberior' means ‘so much the more plentiful'.

The gilded statue on top of the dome, by John Rhind, represents Victory with her laurel wreath.  In classical Latin the goddess was known as Victoria and there is therefore a close reference to Queen Victoria, who was on the throne in the 1860s.

Normally Victory is shown with wings, but these were not incorporated in the finished statue. This was probably due to the extra weight the wings would have added.

The statue is hollow cast in spelter (a zinc-lead alloy). This is thought to be one of the earliest examples of the use of this alloy for monumental work. The statue was gilded in 1995, as part of Bank of Scotland's tercentenary celebrations.

On the two subsidiary domes are statues of Prosperity with the urn and grapes, and Plenty with a sheaf of corn in her arm. These are carved in stone and solid.

The statues visible from the north front represent Agriculture, Commerce, Mechanics and Navigation, with 'Britannia and her Children' as the centre group.

Statue of Victory, crowning the dome of the headquarters building. Photograph by Paul Zanre.

Statue group representing mechanics. Photograph by Paul Zanre.

Further information

• An extensive archive of material relating to the building's history is maintained by HBOS Group Archives
• The building's story is illustrated by a range of exciting objects and hands-on activities at the Museum on the Mound within our corporate headquarters.