Corn Exchange

Former Corn Exchange

This building was constructed in 1854 to designs by Cruso and Maberley of King's Lynn. Its roof was replaced in 1877. Between 1995 and 1996, it underwent comprehensive remodelling as a concert and community hall by Levitt Bernstein Associates. A three-storey addition was added to the north end of the main hall as part of this remodelling, housing backstage facilities and administrative offices; this later addition is not part of the special interest of the building.

The building stands on the west side of Tuesday Market Place with a long rectangular plan aligned north-west to south-east. It comprises three distinct sections: an entrance range containing the foyer, a main hall housing the auditorium, and the late twentieth-century three-storey addition at the rear.

The façade is of ashlar stone with brick side walls. The front elevation is of Baroque style, divided into three bays by four engaged Ionic columns placed in front of Ionic pilasters. These support an entablature with a bracketed cornice, above which rises a balustraded parapet. A central attic panel rises above this parapet with its own entablature, surmounted by a statue of Ceres (the Roman goddess of agriculture, grain and the love a mother bears for her child). The inscription reads 'CORN EXCHANGE / ERECTED AD 1854'.

The three doorways have moulded surrounds, pulvinated friezes and bracketed hoods. The central doorway features consoles supporting a block entablature, above which is a cartouche emblazoned with the coat of arms of King's Lynn beneath a pelican in its piety. Sunken panels with sheaves of corn carved in high relief are placed above the two flanking doors.

The two return walls are of Flemish bond red brick. Each side of the entrance range has bricked-up clerestory windows and late twentieth-century metal-framed doors with deep overlights. A late twentieth-century stainless steel over-roof covers the main hall, supported by external steel columns enclosed by brick piers. These vertical supports divide the returns of the main hall into thirteen bays, of which the four westernmost are late twentieth-century additions. Both side walls are identically treated, with vertical rectangular window openings to the second, fourth and sixth bays and clerestory windows to the eight bays, all bricked-up in the late twentieth century. The seventh bays contain late twentieth-century fire-escape doors with skewback arches. The remaining bays are largely blind except for a square casement window to the first floor of the thirteenth bay on the north side, while the eleventh and thirteenth bays on the south side contain a fire-escape door and a load-in door respectively. Between the top of the side walls and the underside of the over-roof, which stands approximately 1.5 metres higher than the late nineteenth-century roof, the walling is clad in late twentieth-century weatherboard. Steel supports project vertically and outwards from the columns in splayed form to support the roof.

Adjoining the west end of the main hall is a late twentieth-century three-storey addition of red brick in stretcher bond. Its west face to Common Staithe Quay is gabled with a pitched roof concealed by a deep parapet. A two-storeyed section projects at the centre with glazed side panels, rising to a second floor balcony with cantilevered overhangs and yellow brick walling beneath.

The interior was comprehensively refurbished between 1995 and 1996. Unless otherwise stated, all fixtures and fittings date from this period of remodelling. Walls throughout are mainly plastered and painted.

The entrance range on Tuesday Market Place accommodates a foyer with an inserted balcony featuring a metal balustrade comprised of four hundred clapping hands by sculptor John Mills. The glazed roof has blinds by textile artist Sharon Ting, which incorporate symbols and images relating to King's Lynn's history. Both floors have a bar counter on their west side, with the ground floor also having a box office counter on the north side and a refreshment counter on the south side.

A metal-framed glazed screen with double doors to each side of the bar counters divides the foyer from a steel-framed staircase providing access to the balcony and corridors leading to the auditorium. The auditorium comprises seven hundred and fifty seats within a rectangular space, with a steeply-raked rear section, narrow balconies extending along the side walls and a flat floor which can be raised to stage height when required.

Running along the side walls of both foyer and auditorium are brick pilasters dating from 1854. Against these are placed late nineteenth-century cast-iron polygonal columns that support contemporary arched trusses spanning the roof. The spandrels are embellished with circles and scrollwork.