Corn Exchange, Ross-on-Wye

Corn Exchange, Ross-on-Wye
Corn Exchange, Ross-on-Wye
Location	High Street, Ross-on-Wye
Coordinates	51°54′52″N2°35′07″W / 51.9144°N 2.5852°W / 51.9144; -2.5852
Built	1862
Architect	Thomas Nicholson
Architectural style(s)	Neoclassical style
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name	7, High Street
Designated	4 August 1972
Reference no.	1098708
Shown in Herefordshire

The Corn Exchange is a commercial building in the High Street in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, England. The structure, which is now used as a bookshop and as the offices of Ross-on-Wye Town Council, is a Grade II listed building. ^[1]

History

Blue plaque on the building

In the mid-19th century, a group of local businessmen decided to form a private company, known as the "Ross Corn Exchange and Public Buildings Company", to finance and commission a purpose-built corn exchange for the town. The site they selected was on the north side of the High Street. ^[2]

The new building was designed by Thomas Nicholson in the neoclassical style, built in ashlar stone and was completed in 1862. The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage of six bays facing onto the High Street. The left-hand bay contained a round headed carriage entrance with voussoirs on the ground floor, and a round headed window with an elaborate surround on the first floor. The right-hand section of five bays contained round headed openings with voussoirs and keystones on the ground floor and sash windows with segmental pediments supported by brackets on the first floor. The first-floor windows were separated by Ionic order pilasters supporting an entablature and a dentilled cornice. Internally, the principal rooms were a market hall on the ground floor and an assembly room on the first floor. ^[1]

The use of the building as a corn exchange declined significantly in the wake of the Great Depression of British Agriculture in the late 19th century. ^[3] However, it continued to be used for public events: performers at that time included the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. ^[4] It was converted for cinema use, under the branding of "The New Theatre", in 1922, and hosted performances the Ross Operatic and Dramatic Society, ^[5] before it was badly damaged by a fire in 1939. ^[6]

After the Second World War, the interior of the building was restored by Ross-on-Wye Town Council which converted part of the structure for use as its meeting place and offices. ^[7] The ground floor was re-purposed for retail use and, in 2010, became the first branch of a new chain of bookshops, Rossiter Books. ^{[8] [9]} A structure at the rear of the main building, which had been used as a workshop and garage, was converted into a restaurant and wedding venue by the management of the King's Head Hotel in 2022. ^{[10] [11]}

Notable works of art in the building include a portrait by an unknown artist of the local philanthropist, John Kyrle, sometimes referred to as The Man of Ross. ^[12]

See also

• Corn exchanges in England

References

1. Historic England. "7, High Street (1098708)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 28 July 2023.
2. Statute Law Revision Sixteenth Report: Draft Statute Law (repeals) Bill. Vol. 16. The Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission. 1998. p. 70.
3. Fletcher, T. W. (1973). 'The Great Depression of English Agriculture 1873-1896' in British Agriculture 1875-1914. London: Methuen. p. 31. ISBN   978-1136581182.
4. Morris, Martin H. (1980). The Book of Ross-on-Wye A Study of an Ancient Town. Barracuda Books. p. 89. ISBN   978-0860230830.
5. "A wonderful gem, tucked away in a corner of Ross-on-Wye". Ross Gazette. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
6. "New Theatre". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
7. "'Blackmail' ensures Open Spaces will belong to Ross Town Council". Ross Gazette. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
8. "Debut author gives Ross talk". Hereford Times. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
9. "Rossiter unveils third store in Leominster". 9 August 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
10. "About us". Ross-on-Wye Corn Exchange. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
11. "Ross-on-Wye hotel set to host weddings in a garage". Gloucestershire Live. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
12. "John Kyrle (1637–1724), The Man of Ross". Art UK. Retrieved 28 July 2023.