Exchange Buildings, 36-39 Market Place

Exchange Buildings, 36–39 Market Place

This is a substantial fifteen-bay rectangular building with a bowed north end, comprising three storeys with basement and attics. It was constructed in 1772 of gault and red-brown brick with a Westmoreland slate roof with lead dressings.

The east elevation is symmetrical, with its central three bays slightly advanced and topped by a pediment. The pediment bears painted relief decoration at its centre showing the corporation coat of arms surrounded by garlands, with the date 1772 inscribed below. The pediment eaves rest on small closely spaced brackets that create the impression of a dentilled cornice. The same line of brackets continues beneath the eaves on either side and extends around the north elevation, with a parapet above. These elevations are also defined by a continuous sill band, a wider first-floor band, and broken lengths of a ground-floor lintel band.

The fenestration on the east elevation comprises fifteen first and second floor windows: those on the first floor are twelve-paned sashes, while those on the second floor have six panes. The central three windows to both floors within the pedimented section are distinguished by moulded wooden surrounds. The north elevation has two widely separated windows to each floor, with two apparently modern windows at ground floor level beneath them. Four six-paned dormer windows are positioned under the eaves, each beneath a segmental arched lead-covered roof.

The ground floor of the east elevation has undergone significant alteration with the addition of modern shop fronts. The first three bays have been infilled with modern brickwork and contain one round-arched door and two round-arched windows. Immediately to the south is an original recessed doorway containing a six-fielded panel door above a plain panel, with an overlight bearing two vertical glazing bars above. A similar door appears to the south of the central section, flanked at ground level by two ogee-arched niches for bootscrapers, with stonework surrounds to all three openings. These central bays are flanked by modern plate glass shop fronts, with four further recessed openings to the south—two containing modern doors and two with windows.

The west elevation, facing the river, was originally similar to the east elevation but has been substantially altered by additions dating from the 19th century onwards. It differs in featuring red-brown brickwork, a round window under the pediment in place of the corporation coat of arms, and segmental arches over the windows. There are only two dormers at the eaves and no parapet. The ground floor of this elevation is almost completely concealed beneath later extensions.

The interior has been considerably modified, particularly at ground floor level, which now contains three shops and a restaurant. However, a fragment of closed string staircase with turned balusters and moulded handrail survives in the shop to the south (No. 36), behind a door opposite the entrance. The basement below the shop retains some blocked openings, including a possible fireplace, and contains chamfered beams. Access to the upper floors is through a doorway beneath a fanlight in the central section, leading to a hall containing a dogleg staircase with slender turned balusters, rising through two floors and closely similar to the staircase fragment in No. 36.

The first and second floors of Nos. 36–38 are now occupied separately. The first floor and north end of the second floor maintain a continuous corridor connecting front and back rooms to either side of the central staircase and landings. The plan form to the south of the staircase on the second floor has been more substantially altered, but elsewhere original elements survive, including individual east-facing rooms at the north end of the first floor. Historic joinery includes several panelled doorcases, six-panelled doors, deep skirting boards, windows with panelling below, and, to a lesser extent, moulded cornices and ceiling detail. The second-floor ceilings have beams with moulded detail. No fireplaces survive. The attics are not accessible. No. 39, in separate ownership, contains no apparent historic features.