79-83, Charterhouse Street

635-1/1/10178 CHARTERHOUSE STREET 01-NOV-06 79-83

II Meat inspector's Office for Smithfield Meat Market. 1930 by the Corporation Engineers Department; the frieze carved by H.H. Martyn and Co. Dressed Portland stone; metal framed windows; timber joinery.

EXTERIOR: The building presents a symmetrical front of dressed Portland stone to the market, with strong Art Deco and inter-war Classical influences. It is of five bays and three storeys, with a central entrance under a pronounced cornice and small balcony, flanked by pilasters with abstract capitals, the metal windows of the main office to the right, and the wooden panelled folding doors of the vehicle entrance to the left. Above this are two storey metal-framed windows between plain pilasters: there is a stepped green copper panel at second floor level. The central emphasis is continued with a slightly advanced central bay. At the top of the building are the relief panels with a parade of livestock, including sheep, cows, rams and lambs walking straight ahead, as if being led to the market. Their faces are solemn and proud. The central bay carries the crest of the Corporation of London. The stone is nicely dressed, and there are large voussoirs lintels.

INTERIOR: The interior survives well and has quality fittings. The ground floor office has intact wooden and glazed 'Enquiries' partitions. There is a full height, open well staircase with bronze handrail and metal geometric balustrade. The doors are heavy wood within heavy architraves and overlights with geometric tracery. The lecture room has dado panelling with raised plaster over panels, timber pilasters and original fireplaces with bolection moulding and marble insets. Some fitted furniture and male and female changing rooms.

HISTORY: The Smithfield Market Meat Inspector's Office was designed in 1930 by the Corporation Engineers Department. The frieze across the top was designed by H.H. Martyn and Co., a firm who also did work at the Grade II Haggerston Baths LB Hackney. A c.1930 watercolour of the façade shows the building just as it is now, and labelled as being a 'Re-construction of the front for the Corporation of London'. However, the interior is of a piece and appears comfortably to date from the same period.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: The Meat Inspector's Office of 1930 at Smithfield Market has special architectural interest as a municipal office building of 1930 with a well composed Portland stone facade with Art Deco influences and an impressive livestock frieze by the London firm of architectural sculptors, H.H. Martyn and Co. This latter feature strongly aligns the building both visually and functionally with the Grade II* Smithfield Market building it faces.