The Market House

The Market House is a market house with associated public buildings, constructed in 1855 by F.C. Penrose. It is built of Cary stone, squared and cut, with Doulting stone dressings; the roof is Delabole slate between stepped coped gables crowned with small pinnacles, and features a central lead-covered spirelet with clock faces set diagonally on the ridge. The building is designed in a Flemish style and has a roughly "L" shaped layout; it is three storeys high with a seven-bay main facade. The ground floor has an open colonnade with circular, non-classical columns, carrying chamfered three-centred arches. Above this is a panelled section with pointed arched recesses, featuring alternately circular and triangular leaded windows. The upper storey has hollow-chamfered mullioned windows with three four-centred arched lights, set under flat heads without labels, in bays 2, 4, and 6. The north-east elevation includes two open pointed arches at ground floor level and paired rectangular windows divided by a central shaft carrying a one-light-plus-two-light oriel window at the second floor level. This oriel has chamfered mullions and transoms, and a stepped stone roof with a gable vent. A gable is visible on the south-west elevation, along with staircase windows and a three-bay rear extension mirroring the original design, adapted to accommodate the hillside. The rear elevation has a gabled projection with segmental arched casements at ground floor level, a single-light and a two-light rectangular window to the first floor with casements, and similar windows to the second floor employing rectangular leaded-pane lights, with a gable vent above. Later additions fill in the angle, incorporating a covered walkway and a fire escape stairway. Established by the Market House Company, the building replaced a previous house from 1616, potentially reusing old columns. It was erected anticipating an increase in trade following the projected arrival of the railway in 1856. An undercroft, still enclosed by wrought iron railings, served as a market space, specifically for corn, and contained several cells to the rear. Above these were reading and news rooms, as well as facilities for musical entertainment.