Market Cross

The Market Cross, also known as the butter market, is a significant structure located in Barnard Castle, dating back to 1747. It was built at the expense of Thomas Breaks and has served various purposes over time, including as a Town Hall, courtroom, lock-up, and fire station. The building is constructed of ashlar stone and features roofs made of graduated slates.

The exterior showcases a two-storey tower with a pent arcaded shelter. Dwarf walls, designed to accommodate the slope of The Bank, support a Tuscan arcade with four columns on each side, totaling 24 columns, along with an entablature that holds up a steep pent roof. The entrance is centrally located on the Market Place side to the north. Inside the arcade, the octagonal base of the tower features keyed arches with impost bands and a paved central area. Above the arcade, there is a sill band for Venetian windows with glazing bars on all four sides, and round-headed niches on alternate sides. The building is topped with a hipped roof that supports a high lantern with an ogee dome and a weather-vane finial. The base of the tower contains a renewed winding stair with newel posts. On the second floor, above the entrance, there is a stone panel inscribed with the words: 'THIS BUILDING WAS/ ERECTED 1747 AT/ THE EXPENSE OF/ THOMAS BREAKS, ESQ/ NATIVE OF THIS PLACE'.

The interior was not inspected, but a blue plaque within the arcade provides a history of the structure's use. A 19th-century painted notice indicates that the Corn Returns for the Town of Barnard Castle are to be made and delivered at the Inland Revenue office on Hall Street.