Alexandra Theatre And Market Hall To The Rear

NEWTON ABBOT

SX8571SE MARKET STREET 1012-1/13/98 (East side) 06/06/72 Alexandra Theatre and Market Hall to the rear (Formerly Listed as: MARKET STREET Alexandra Theatre)

GV II

Former corn exchange, now a cinema. Dated 1871. By John Chudleigh. MATERIALS: squared Devon limestone and stucco with some freestone dressings, slate roof and moulded stack to the rear of left return. PLAN: rectangular plan with projecting west tower and infilled angles. ALEXANDRA THEATRE EXTERIOR: an Italianate palazzo style central projecting belvedere tower in 3 stages has wide eaves and a modillion cornice to a shallow-pitched pyramidal roof. Freestone impost and sill bands to paired semicircular-arched windows, blind to the front, in the upper stage, the second stage has a semicircular-arched recess containing a hood mould with foliate stops over a circular window. A panel below with a rich dentil cornice reads "Erected 1871". The rusticated semicircular entrance arch below has chamfered jambs. The angles between the tower and the main block have curved stucco infills with cornices to the ground floor and square stucco infills to the first floor, both possibly later additions. The 5-bay exchange, articulated by plain pilasters, has an eaves band and plinth forming recesses with blind semicircular-arched windows with continuous sill bands. The ridge has two C20 cylindrical vents with conical tops. INTERIOR: not inspected. MARKET HALL EXTERIOR: attached to the rear is similar in style to Alexandra Theatre. INTERIOR: 6-bays with cast-iron columns approx 10m high, with wrought-iron ties and wooden principals; aisle posts are connected by arcade rails to each side forming semicircular arches with diminishing circles to the spandrels. The sloping ceilings to the aisles have diagonal planking and 4 purlins; a clerestory above the aisles has 6 square windows between each column; the central apex has 6 purlins to each side with various thin metal ties. South wall has 12 segmental-arched recesses, 2 with doors; the north aisle has a partly-glazed roof, the north wall has 8 arches and two 2/2-pane sash windows to the north-west corner. The west end abutting the Alexandra Theatre has triple semicircular-arched recesses above one similar wide recess and a C20 metal roller shutter, the east end is occupied by a C20 cafe. HISTORY: the site was developed after its purchase from the Rev. Richard Lane by the Wolborough Local Board in 1867. (BoE: Pevsner N & Cherry B: Devon: London: 1989-: 592; Jones R: A Book of Newton Abbot: Callington: 1979-: 56-7).

Listing NGR: SX8586971367