Market Cross

BARNARD CASTLE

NZ0516SW MARKET PLACE 770-1/6/125 (South side) 24/02/50 Market Cross (Formerly Listed as: MARKET PLACE (East side) Market Cross, Cobbles surrounding base)

GV I

Market cross or butter market. At various times also Town Hall, court room, lock-up and fire station. Dated 1747. Built at the expense of Thomas Breaks. Ashlar with roofs of graduated slates. Octagonal plan. EXTERIOR: 2-storey tower with pent arcaded shelter. Dwarf walls, graduated to accommodate the slope of The Bank, support Tuscan arcade with 4 columns to each side (24 in all), and entablature supporting steep pent roof. Entrance in centre of Market Place side to north. Within arcade, octagonal base of tower has keyed arches with impost bands and paved central space. Above arcade, sill band to Venetian windows with glazing bars on north, south, east and west sides, and round-headed niches on alternate sides. Deep eaves cornice. Hipped roof supports high lantern with ogee dome and weather-vane finial. Base of tower contains renewed winding stair with newel posts. On second floor, above entrance, a stone panel inscribed: 'THIS BUILDING WAS/ ERECTED 1747 AT/ THE EXPENSE OF/ THOMAS BREAKS, ESQ/ NATIVE OF THIS PLACE'. INTERIOR: not inspected. HISTORY: blue plaque within arcade gives history of use of structure; C19 painted notice records that the Corn Returns for the Town of Barnard Castle are to be made and delivered at the Inland Revenue office, Hall Street. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: County Durham: Harmondsworth: 1983-: 87).

Listing NGR: NZ0503216327