Burton upon Trent Market Hall, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire

Summary

Market hall completed in 1883 and extended in 1925.

Description

Market hall completed in 1883 and extended in 1925.

MATERIALS: constructed of brick with sandstone dressings under a slate roof.

PLAN: the market hall’s principal façade faces west onto Market Place and is roughly square on plan, with the 1925 extension on the north elevation.

EXTERIOR: the market hall has Renaissance influences with red brick in Flemish bond with stone dressings and a central shaped gable above the principal entrance. The building has three storeys with a principal façade across seven bays. The principal façade faces west with the central entrance bay projecting slightly and a stone pediment and pilasters framing the entrance. A projecting C20 iron-glazed canopy sits beneath the pediment. The pediment contains the Burton upon Trent coat of arms depicting the River Trent and River Dove. The coat of arms has a foliate surround with the town’s motto below reading: ‘HONOR ALIT ARTES’. The pediment contains an egg and dart cornice. Above, at the centre of the stone gable, under a moulded three-centred arch, is a further relief carving by the sculptor John Roddis, depicting King John granting a charter to allow Burton a weekly market. The sculpture consists of King John accompanied by two knights passing the charter to a kneeling abbot accompanied by monks. Beneath the sculpture is a panel containing a further inscription: ‘KING JOHN BRINGING CHARTER GRANTING A FAIR AND/ WEEKLY MARKET AT BURTON AND CONFIRMING THE RIGHTS/ AND LIBERTIES OF THE ABBOT AND MONKS OF BURTON’. Flanking the inscription are the coat of arms of Burton Abbey and of King John. Above the sculpture is a pediment with a recessed centre containing the carved date of 1883, with a carved floral surround. Behind the central gable is a slim, domed, ventilation tower with lead covering, louvred openings and ogee finial. Flanking the central bay are three symmetrical bays, the end bays also projecting slightly with gable ends facing the street. The gables have semi-circular stone pediments containing figures holding fruit, signifying the goods of the market hall within. The first floor of the western façade has regular fenestration with both single light and tripartite windows with stone mullions and transoms. The gable-end tripartite windows have a central semi-circular light. At ground floor, to either side of the market entrance are two further entrance doors, with slim glazing to either side. To the north and south, beyond the entrances, are a pair of shopfronts with large plate glazing and C20 glazed doors. The shopfronts have stone stall risers with rusticated stone piers to either side, with relief stone carvings on the capitals above.
To the south, facing west, is a later, single-storey early-C20 addition in stretcher bond with wide-spanning archway giving vehicular access beyond. A stone frontispiece frames the arch and entrance doors to either side. The arch is flanked by a single window under brick segmental arch with keystone.

The south façade of the market hall is plainer with brick arcading at first floor. An original southern entrance to the market on the west end of the building has been bricked up. The entrance is tall and is under a stone segmental arch with brick piers supporting consoles with floral motifs above. The arch has a central keystone which is adorned with fruits, and to either side are relief carvings of swags. Above is a moulded pediment with central tablet and surrounding foliate design. An identical entrance, which remains in use, is situated at the east end of this façade. A C20 single-storey brick lean-to addition runs along the centre of the elevation. The eastern end of the façade has three slim, single-light windows at ground floor with brick segmental arches and a continuous sill supported by stone corbels below.

The east façade, at the rear of the building, has three wide gables, demonstrating the three parallel piles of the roof above. Each of the gables are flanked by projecting brick piers. At the centre of the façade is a stone entrance matching the proportions of the entrances seen elsewhere on the building. This entrance is significantly plainer with a moulded segmental arch and single keystone. At first floor is a series of three keyed oculus openings, with a small arched corbel table above at the apex of each gable. To the north of the facade a single-storey C20 brick extension projects from the rear of the fish market.

The north façade has the 1925 single-storey fish market at the east end. The fish market is also constructed of brick in Flemish bond and has a stepped gable above its principal entrance which faces onto Market Place (west). Above the entrance is a small keyed oculus window with a segmental brick arch below with stone hood mould. The entrance door and glazing to either side date to the C21. The north façade of the market hall continues west with an additional service entrance with fanlight under a stone arch. To the right (west) is an additional market entrance with a stone surround matching those elsewhere on the building. This entrance has a large bull’s head with nose ring as the keystone to the arch below. To either side of the entrance on the ground floor is a shopfront with C20 glazing and door. At first floor level, the brick arcading on the south elevation is replicated but with a semi-circular section of glazing within the arches.

INTERIOR: the market hall is a large open space with the partially glazed roof structure supported by cast-iron piers. The piers have Corinthian capitals with the column above spanning to support the roof with decorative wrought-iron spandrels. The spandrels contain a central shell design with floral surround. Around the perimeter of the ground floor is a series of built-in shop units, each separated by a stone pilaster. The units on the north and east side of the building retain their original tiling, whereas the southern shop tiling has been replaced. A couple of the shop units on the north and east ends of the hall retain their original iron meat hooks attached to the walls and ceiling. The units also have wrought iron spiral hanging brackets for shop signage. The hall has terrazzo flooring, the central section dating to the 2014 refurbishment. The hall’s original clock is situated above the first-floor gallery on the west end wall under a moulded brick hood and tall stilted brick arch with keystone.

The first floor has a gallery running around all sides of the building and has a wrought-iron balustrade with timber rail, with the gallery extended at the west end. The extent of the original first-floor gallery can be seen from ground floor level at the west end, with the gallery supported by corbels visible above. The original gallery balustrade is in situ above and now sits at the centre of the expanded gallery at this west end. From the first-floor gallery are a series of shop units and offices at the west end facing on to Market Place. The rooms retain their leaded glazing and original iron window furniture set within chamfered reveals with panelling. Deep C19 skirting and cornicing also survive. A C19 staircase with ramped rail gives access to the ground floor, with a separate stair giving access to the former caretaker’s flat on the second floor. Other staircases between the ground and first floor, at the north, south and east ends of the hall, date to the C21.

The second floor contains a former caretaker’s flat, comprising three rooms with access to the market hall’s original clock beyond. The middle reception room contains a cast iron fireplace. The 1883 clock is by John Smith and Sons of Derby and retains its original winding mechanism.

The interior of the 1925 fish market has been modernised in the C21 for office use. The original roof structure survives above the inserted ceiling.

History

A competition was launched in May 1880 for the design of Burton upon Trent’s new market hall, with the building intended to replace an earlier hall constructed in the late-C18. The competition design brief stated the need for the inclusion of a sculpture over the west entrance of the hall, connected to the town’s history. The competition for the building’s design was won by Dixon and Moxon of Barnsley with construction starting in 1882 and the hall opening in 1883. The new building was relocated slightly to the east of the earlier hall, to improve access to Market Place. The sculpture for the west entrance was to depict King John’s granting of a charter to allow a weekly market at Burton in the first years of the C13 and was approved by Burton Fire Brigade, Markets and Fairs Committee in May 1883. The work was undertaken by Birmingham-based sculptor John Roddis.

The hall was extended to the north in 1925 to create a new fish market. Further alterations took place in the early-C20 with the installation of new fixed stalls within the hall. A refurbishment scheme was undertaken in 2014, with all of the early-C20 stalls removed from both the exterior and interior and roller shutters installed to the internal shop units. New staircases to access the first-floor gallery were also installed at the north, south and east ends of the hall.

Reasons for Listing

Burton upon Trent Market Hall by Dixon and Moxon of Barnsley, completed in 1883 and extended in 1925, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* the building is a good composition in an eclectic Renaissance style with considered details including balancing projecting gables with semi-circular pediments and ornate ventilation tower demonstrating an architectural flair;
* the building has particularly good quality stone carvings, notably above the market entrances and relief work above the principal entrance by sculptor John Roddis;
* the market has a remarkably good level of survival, notably the interior, with shop units retaining original tiling and butcher’s hooks.

Historic interest:

* the building is a very good example of a later-C19 market in a regional town;
* the scale and quality of the 1883 market hall reflects the town’s prosperity in the late-C19.

External Links

Historic England Listing

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