Former Fish Market
Old Market Place, Warrington
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1329719
- Date first listed:
- 11-Jun-1974
- List Entry Name:
- Former Fish Market
- Statutory Address:
- Old Market Place, Warrington
Location
Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.
Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.
What is the National Heritage List for England?
The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.
The list includes:
 |
Buildings |
 |
Scheduled monuments |
 |
Parks and gardens |
 |
Battlefields |
 |
Shipwrecks |
Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-03-01
- Reference:
- IOE01/15158/31
- Rights:
- © Mr Martin Byrne. Source: Historic England Archive
Local Heritage Hub
Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.
Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1329719
- Date first listed:
- 11-Jun-1974
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 02-Feb-2012
- List Entry Name:
- Former Fish Market
- Statutory Address 1:
- Old Market Place, Warrington
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:
- Old Market Place, Warrington
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Warrington (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ6056688255
Summary
A mid-C19 fish market; architect unknown although most probably by James Stevens.
Reasons for Designation
The former fish market is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic: as a mid-C19 little-altered example of a characteristic building type;
* Group value: it forms a group with other listed commercial buildings around the Old Market Place, being the one remaining market building which gives the area its name.
History
A market hall designed by James Stevens was constructed to the south side of the market place in 1855-6. This was aligned east-west and was of brick construction with stone detailing. The fish market was an extension to this market hall, abutting its northern elevation at 90 degrees. Pevsner describes the current building as mid-C19, although it is not known whether Stevens remained the architect. The market is described elsewhere as being enlarged 1878-84; it is unclear whether this is referring to an enlargement of the market hall or the construction of the fish market itself, however the former is the most likely. The complex first appears on the 1:2500 1st edition OS map of Lancashire, published in 1894, and was unchanged up until the date of partial demolition.
The complex was listed on the 11th June 1974. In the same year, the old market hall was demolished to make way for new development. At some point after listing, the glazed outer walls and corrugated iron cladding was removed from the fish market, restoring the building to its original open state.
Details
MATERIALS: cast iron.
Plan: rectangular, aligned north-south.
EXTERIOR: this is an open-sided canopy with six iron columns to the east and west, connected by segmental arches with ornamented spandrels. The eight southern columns have foliated capitals. The two to the north are square and substantial, with lion’s head, fruit and foliage motifs within recessed panels. Gable ends are to the north and south; each incorporates glazed roundels.
INTERIOR: it is entirely open, spanned by a gabled roof with iron struts. Six large octagonal lanterns are suspended from the ceiling in staggered bays.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 58817
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Pollard, R, The Buildings of England: Lancashire, Liverpool and the South-West, (2006), 602
Schmiechen, J, Carls, K, The British Market Hall, (1999), 296
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
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 07-Jul-2026 at 20:16:47.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.