NHER 40580 (Building record) - Market House or Market Cross

February 1984. Listed, Grade II*.
Court or toll house, probably built as shops. 1559 with later repairs. Timber framed with rendered brick and wattle and daub infill. Two storeys with meeting chamber raised on timber Tuscan columns standing on cast iron bases on stone plinths. Columns date from 1754 to 1755. Central whipping post with arm clamps. Upper floor supported on ovolo moulded timber entablature of 1754. When visited by E. Rose (NLA) in 1976 the building had recently been restored.
Information from (S1).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 12 July 2004.

Research by [1] revealed that the Market House is in fact two 16th century shops, the ground floor removed in 1670 and replaced by the columns, which were strengthened with iron in the 18th century. [2] has now found documentary evidence that the market house was built in 1715 when two 16th century shops were moved from the north west part of the market place.

October 2003. Visit.
See (S2) and photographs in file.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 13 December 2004.

For the oriel boards from the Crown Inn, previously described under this entry, now see the parish church (NHER 40579).

This building was formerly SAM 203, Descheduled in 1997.
Information from (S4).

Previously NHER 9200 context 4.

(S3) calls the Market Cross.
The Market Cross with its open ground floor, central whipping post and large hook, probably for a beam scale, was built on a new site in the early 18th century; the earlier cross having been to the northwest. In 1715 the town purchased the reversion of two shops with chambers over, documented from 1679. The cross was completed by 1718 as it is referred to as abutting a neighbouring warehouse in that year. Further work was carried out in 1754 including the iron shoes holding the supporting columns. The upper floor dates to the late 16th century and is presumably reconstructed from the chambers above the shops that stood on the site.
See (S3).
M. Dennis (NLA), 10 May 2006.