Theatre Royal is a Grade I listed building in the North Yorkshire local planning authority area, England. First listed on 1 August 1952. A C18 Theatre. 10 related planning applications.

Theatre Royal

WRENN ID
lunar-wicket-honey
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
North Yorkshire
Constituency
Richmond and Northallerton MP: Rishi Sunak (Con)
Country
England
Date first listed
1 August 1952
Type
Theatre
Period
C18
Address
Theatre Royal, Victoria Road, Richmond, DL10 4DW
OS grid reference
NZ 171 009
Coordinates
54.4041, -1.73798
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Theatre Royal, opened in September 1788, is a unique example of a small 18th-century playhouse that has remained virtually unaltered since it ceased to be used as a theatre in the early 19th century. The exterior of the building is a large rectangular structure made of uncoursed rubble with rough ashlar quoins and a stone slate roof pegged with sheep bones. The gable end features a small window on the two upper levels. The main entrance is located on the west side, accessed through a small double door in a plain stone frame, with the original paybox just inside.

Inside, the theatre has a rectangular auditorium. Above the sunk and sloping pit, there is a row of boxes, with four on each side and three in the centre, and a gallery above this. The boxes are separated by Doric columns, which are square at the ends and corners but round elsewhere. The floor is designed on two levels, each equipped with backless benches. The gallery encircles three sides of the theatre, extending over the boxes and the vestibule at the back. The auditorium has a ceiling with circular holes for candelabra, while the stage does not have a ceiling. The proscenium features two side doors and two balconies above, and it is noted to be the only original one of its kind in the world. The stage includes three customary traps and is original as well. Careful restoration has been carried out under expert advice.

The Turf Hotel and Theatre Royal form a group.

Local climate

Theatre Royal receives an average of 860 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 60% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 69% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 50 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 91% of listed buildings. Of these, 29 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 10 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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Nearby listed buildings

  1. The Turf Hotel Grade II 15 m
  2. The Fleece Hotel Grade II 18 m
  3. Small Semi-Circular Stone Archway Set in Fragment of the Original Town Walls Grade II 21 m
  4. The Former Zetland Cocoa Rooms Grade II 36 m
  5. Grey Friars Tower Grade I 50 m
  6. Richmond Borough War Memorial Grade II 53 m
  7. 13 and 14, Market Place Grade II 54 m
  8. 7, Victoria Road Grade II 55 m
  9. 15 and 16, Market Place Grade II 56 m
  10. 11 and 12, Market Place Grade II 57 m