Guildhall Market
Guildhall Market, High Street, Bath, BA2 4AW
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1396022
- Date first listed:
- 12-Jun-1950
- List Entry Name:
- Guildhall Market
- Statutory Address:
- Guildhall Market, High Street, Bath, BA2 4AW
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1396022
- Date first listed:
- 12-Jun-1950
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 28-Nov-2011
- List Entry Name:
- Guildhall Market
- Statutory Address 1:
- Guildhall Market, High Street, Bath, BA2 4AW
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:
- Guildhall Market, High Street, Bath, BA2 4AW
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Bath and North East Somerset (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- ST7512264873
Summary
A public market built in 1861-3.
Reasons for Designation
* Architectural interest: the market building displays good quality architectural detailing and is a good and relatively early example of a Victorian wide-span cast iron roof;
* Group value: it forms part of an important group of historic commercial and civic buildings in the centre of Bath that stand at the heart of the World Heritage Site;
* Historic and community interest: the market continues to be a prominent place of public gathering and plays a leading part in the history of the community and local commerce.
History
The Guildhall Market in Bath was built as a public market in 1861-63 to a design by the architects Hickes & Isaac, which was partially demolished in 1897. It covers the site of an earlier market. The market pillar or 'nail' now standing inside the market, survives from the open air market of the 1770s.
Details
A public market building of 1861-3 to a design by Hickes and Isaac, partially demolished in 1897 and with C20 alterations.
MATERIALS: coursed squared limestone with Welsh slate roofs.
PLAN: central twelve-sided domed space with aisle on south side, but mostly demolished on north side in 1897 for the building of the Victoria Art Gallery and Public Library.
EXTERIOR: entrances from High Street through Guildhall (qv), and from Grand Parade through Newmarket Row (qv). Exterior only really visible on south, as largely concealed by the municipal buildings. Plain stone walling with pent roof to aisle. Arched doorway with keystone and imposts, panelled doors. Dome rises behind and above, with three pitches and crowning vent. Wing to right with arch joins to No.5 Newmarket Row.
INTERIOR: stone Roman Doric columns supporting aisle roofs which have wrought iron trusses. Twelve sided dome has drum with lunettes and then iron ribs rising to ventilator.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Market Pillar or `Nail' of c1770, stone with slate slab top.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 511433
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Forsyth, M, Pevsner Architectural Guides: Bath, (2003), 125
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 22-Jul-2026 at 02:49:03.
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.