Summary
Gate piers and flanking wall, built in the mid- to late C18, walls rebuilt in the late C20.
Reasons for Designation
The gate piers and flanking walls to the north of 18 Market Place, built in the mid- to late C18 and rebuilt in the late C20, are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
History
Swaffham’s significance in the Middle Ages stemmed from its position as a crossroads on main east-west and north-south routes, not for its position on a river. The market and two fairs were established by the mid-C13 on the triangular Market Place, bounded on the north side by the present Lynn Street. The marketplace was likely originally open to the church on the eastern side, but C17 development closed this off. The Shambles developed in the centre of the marketplace in the early post-medieval period. The late C18 was a period of some social importance for the town when it became at least locally fashionable; there had been a racecourse at Swaffham since the C17 and the Earl of Orford founded the Coursing Club in 1786. The Assembly Rooms were constructed between 1776 and 1778, and the south front was added in 1817. The overall impression of the town centre is mid- to late Georgian, but there is evidence of C16 and C17 work behind many frontages.
Details
Gate piers and flanking wall, built in the mid- to late C18, walls rebuilt in the late C20.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
460610
Legacy System:
LBS
Sources
Books and journals Websites https://sites.google.com/site/hamondsgrammar2/home/history Other
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
End of official list entry
