The Old Market

The Old Market is a market building, constructed in 1828, and subsequently enlarged in the mid-19th century. Extensive internal alterations were carried out in the mid-to-late 20th century. The building is built of a brick core with a rendered finish, with rusticated detailing to the ground floor. The rear elevations are partially rendered and the roof is slate, hipped in style. The market hall is located centrally within an island site and is rectangular. The main elevation is to the north. The north front has a three-storey centre section flanked by two- and three-storey wings, creating a facade of 1:1:2:1:3 bays. The central four bays have giant pilasters with acanthus leaf capitals, supporting an entablature with ball finials to the outer pilasters and a central panel inscribed "Old Market Arts Centre." A modillion cornice extends for two bays, and the end bay is only two storeys high. The windows are square-headed with six-pane sashes, with segmental-headed windows in the left end bay of the ground floor. Rusticated detailing and boarded-up entrances are present on the ground floor of the fourth and fifth bays. The east return elevation has a central three-bay range facing the Waterloo Street Arch, with a single storey and moulded cornice, a parapet, and a flat string linking round-headed arcades with glazed heads. Wide pilaster doorcases of uncertain date are visible, with boarded-up openings showing evidence of double-panelled dados, potentially original shop counters or windows. A three-storey, three-by-five bay block is located in the south-west corner, characterised by quoins and shaped aprons to the first-floor windows. The ground floor of this corner block was altered in the mid-to-late 20th century. Few original internal features remain, except for the original roof king post trusses. Originally named Brunswick Market, the building was used as a riding academy by 1840 and was subsequently taken over by Mr Dupont's Riding Academy in 1875. Later uses included warehousing and a bacon smokery. Attempts were made to convert the building into an arts centre in the late 1970s, and it was vacant at the time of survey.