Old Corn Exchange, 2 Hope Street, Inverkeithing, Inverkeithing, Fife

Entry Name: Old Corn Exchange, 2 Hope Street, Inverkeithing

Listing Name: 2 Hope Street, (Old Corn Exchange) Including Terrace

Listing Date: 19 December 1979

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 379559

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB35110

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200379559

Location: Inverkeithing

County: Fife

Town: Inverkeithing

Electoral Ward: Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay

Traditional County: Fife

Tagged with: Corn exchange

Description

Dated 1833. Symmetrical, 2-storey, 3 wide bays, rectangular-plan neo-classical former corn exchange. Sandstone ashlar to principal elevation; coursed rubble to north, east and south. Moulded string and eaves courses (base course covered by later terrace). Stone cills to upper windows; raised margins; straight quoins. Pedimented central bay; semi-circular ground floor arches (converted to glazed doorways 1990s).

WEST (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Advanced central bay with date stone to moulded pediment inscribed "MDCCCXXXIII". Slightly advanced broad pilastered ends. 3 glazed round arched doorways, square windows centred above ground floor openings.

SOUTH ELEVATION: plain gable.

EAST (REAR) ELEVATION: symmetrical, 4-bays. 1st floor window to penultimate bay right converted to doorway with external metal stair.

NORTH ELEVATION: blocked doorway to far right. 1st floor window to right.

12-pane timber sash and case windows; over-sized fanlight above glazed and timber panelled door set between glazed and timber panelled sidelights to arched openings. Piended roof; graded grey slates; internal gutters behind eaves course.

INTERIOR: not seen, 2002. Originally large single space with coved ceiling and arch to pedimented front section. 1st floor added later. Converted to shop and light industrial use in 1990s.

TERRACE TO WEST: 1990s. Stone-faced terrace comprising low retaining wall on ground falling to south along Hope Street, surmounted by 5 square-plan gatepiers with shallow pyramidal caps, cast iron railings with flèche finials. Central stair access; coach access to far northwest corner.

Statement of Interest

The austere classical detailing befits the standing of the Old Corn Exchange, formerly an important public building serving Inverkeithing's once bustling market trade. The 1st edition Ordnance Survey map notes the building as 'Market House'. The land to the rear originally formed a long wide rig leading east down to the harbour, but was bisected after the arrival of the North British Railway in 1890. By 1896 the building was used as a drill hall. Later in the 20th century it was used as a motor traders. Although the openings have been re-glazed to suit modern use as a chemist's laboratory, the distinguished character of the building has been retained (2003).

External Links

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