Former Corn Exchange and Public Hall
2-8, MARKET STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1268936
- Date first listed:
- 12-Apr-1973
- List Entry Name:
- Former Corn Exchange and Public Hall
- Statutory Address:
- 2-8, MARKET STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-06-07
- Reference:
- IOE01/03001/03
- Rights:
- © Mr A. Gude. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1268936
- Date first listed:
- 12-Apr-1973
- List Entry Name:
- Former Corn Exchange and Public Hall
- Statutory Address 1:
- 2-8, MARKET STREET
- Statutory Address 2:
- FORMER CORN EXCHANGE AND PUBLIC HALL, 37, FORE STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- 2-8, MARKET STREET
- Statutory Address:
- FORMER CORN EXCHANGE AND PUBLIC HALL, 37, FORE STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Hertfordshire
- District:
- East Hertfordshire (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Hertford
- National Grid Reference:
- TL 32750 12628
Details
HERTFORD
TL3212NE FORE STREET
817-1/17/69 (North side)
12/04/73 No.37
Former Corn Exchange and Public Hall
GV II
Includes: Nos.2-8 MARKET STREET.
Former Corn Exchange and Public Hall, now subdivided with
ground floor shops with frontage to Market Street, with first
floor hall accessible from Fore Street entrance. 1857-59,
Architect William Hill of Leeds, altered 1979-80. Ashlar
front, red brick flank (west) elevation, Welsh slated and
glazed roof.
EXTERIOR: 2-storey, 3-bay front to Fore Street in modified
classical style, with pediment and entablature surround on
giant modified Tuscan Doric pilasters set upon tall plinths,
left and right, with intermediate Corinthian pilasters. 3
first floor arched windows, with inner window separated from
outer by Tuscan antae, with moulded extrados, and keyblock
connecting to intrados of outer arch, supported on pilasters
with carved ornamental outer keyblocks. Fretted stone panels
below windows. Ground floor 2 triple windows, separated by
antae, with flanking pilasters, above projecting panelled
plinths. Central doorway with tall twin leaf 10 panelled
doors. Fascia carries raised inscription 'Corn Exchange and
Public Hall' Pediment with central circular-framed carved
panel shows the Hertfordshire hart against a background of
sacks of corn (originally flanked by carved foliated
scrollwork removed during a mid C20 refacing of the stonework)
Carved bases and plinth, left and right and central above
pediment originally carried carved urns, and the figure of
Ceres, Goddess of the harvest, which were removed early in the
Second World War as potential hazards in the event of air
raids, and were never replaced.
West flank elevation to Market Street originally blank; the
street was cut through in 1890, involving the demolition of
part of the adjoining block to the west (now Nos 25-35 Fore
Street, qv) when the covered market (Architect Reginald
Blomfield) was constructed to the rear of the Corn Exchange.
The covered market was demolished 1979, and redeveloped as
small shop units, and the ground floor of the Corn Exchange
was converted to 4 shops, Nos 2-8 Market Street; the upper
floor was converted to a hall with lecture studio and
committee room.
INTERIOR: coved ceiling and iron trussed roof remains visible
in the main hall.
The Corn Exchange replaced a more modest building, constructed
in the early 1840s. Prior to this, dealing in corn took place
at the back of Shire Hall.
(Hertfordshire Countryside: Moodey G: Old buildings in the
County Town: Letchworth: 1946-1973: 46; The Buildings of
England: Pevsner N: Hertfordshire: Harmondsworth: 1977-: 186;
Green L: Hertford's Past in pictures: Ware: 1993-: 10, 12;
Felstead A: Directory of British Architects 1834-1900: London:
1993-: 445).
Listing NGR: TL3275012628
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 461315
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Felstead, A, Directory of British Architects 1834-1900, (1993), 445
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977), 186
Green, L, Hertfords Past in Pictures, (1993), 10 12
Hertfordshire Countryside in Hertfordshire Countryside, (1946-1973), 46
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
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