12-22, THE CORRIDOR

THE CORRIDOR 656-1/41/1677 (North side) Nos.12-22 (Consec) 12/06/50

GV II

Arcade of shops. 1825, altered 1870. By HE Goodridge. MATERIALS: Painted limestone ashlar, roof of buildings not visible, roof of arcade iron and glass. PLAN: Parallel rows of shops, north range, joined by glass-roofed arcade running from High Street to Union Passage. Terminal blocks on High Street (Nos 18 and 19), and on Union Passage (Nos 11A and 12A, The Corridor) listed separately, as later extension of The Corridor to Union Street (qv Nos 16-19 Union Street). PLAN: Single depth plan. EXTERIOR: Two storeys. Continuous range of timber shopfronts with occasional entry to upper floor, plate glass windows, with narrow, widely spaced mullions. Shopfronts divided by pilasters, have wreathed entablature, arched glass roof rests on cornice. 1870 alteration, Goodridge shops were open stalls as in Lowther Arcade in London. Upper floor hidden above the roof, but alternate tripartite and single sash windows, plain, demonstrated by central portion of Arcade where roof raised to eaves level and pitched to centre, gallery with good cast iron balustrade, plaster classical statues at either end. HISTORY: The young Goodridge built The Corridor as a personal speculation: it was originally known as Goodridge's Corridor. One of earliest examples of shopping arcade outside London, following Samuel Ware's Burlington Arcade of 1815-19 and John Nash's Royal Opera Arcade of 1816-18, it is closely contemporary with James Foster's arcade in The Horsefair, Bristol of 1824-1825. The original roof was glazed with coloured glass and had heavy timber skylights. It stands on the site of a medieval close called Marchant's Court, clearly shown on Gilmore's map of 1694. The present shop fronts date from the 1870 alteration (those to Nos 8, 9 and 10 are c1900): Goodridge's original shops were open stalls as in Lowther Arcade in London. The Corridor was damaged by an I.R.A. bomb in December 1974, and much of the present glazing dates from then. A notable late Georgian retail development, employing Goodridge's characteristic Greek Revival style to notable effect.

Listing NGR: ST7505864859