Market houses in Northern Ireland

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Market houses are a notable feature of many Northern Ireland towns; their varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation make for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. The market houses were designed with three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper floor was often used as a court house or ballroom. Ornamentation consisted of a cupola, a clock or sometimes a dome or tower. Today most of the market houses in Ireland have been put to use as cultural venues or business premises. Some are still derelict.

Contents

Table of market houses locations

Town
County
Date built
Current use
Image and/or link
Antrim Antrim 1726Vacant (formerly court house)
Armagh Armagh 1815Library and learning centre
Market House, Armagh (03), November 2009.JPG
Aughnacloy Tyrone Shops
Ballycastle Antrim 1830 c.Local museum
Ballyclare Antrim 18th century ?Demolished 1866, Town Hall built on site
Ballyclare Antrim 19th century(2nd Market House) Shopping centre
Ballygawley Tyrone 19th centuryNow an accountant's office
Main Street - Church Street, Ballygawley - geograph.org.uk - 1024762.jpg
Ballymena Antrim 1684Burnt down 1919, town hall built on site in 1924 History of Ballymena, photograph of Market House
Ballymoney Antrim 1755 c. masonic hall
Ballynahinch Down 1795Community centre
Ballynahinch Market House.jpg

History of Ballynahinch Market House

Banbridge Down 1832Offices
Banbridge old town hall - geograph.org.uk - 1453246.jpg
Bangor Down 1810 or 1780Bank
Belfast (Waring Street) Antrim 1769Formerly a bank, now unused Belfast markets history
Belfast (St George's Market) Antrim 1890sStill in use as market
St Georges Market, Belfast, July 2010 (02).JPG
Brookeborough Fermanagh 1837 (before)Vacant ? (Formerly Orange Hall)
Caledon Tyrone 1830 c.
Historic House, Caledon - geograph.org.uk - 623827.jpg
Carrickfergus Antrim 1755 ?Art gallery
Castlewellan Down 1764 c.Library
Clogher Tyrone 1837
Crossgar Down 1829Boarded up and missing its clock
Crossgar Market House.jpg
Cushendall Antrim 1858 [1]
Dervock Antrim 1805Cafe and hairdressers
Donaghadee Down 1819 c.Shops
Draperstown Londonderry 1839A library on the ground Floor; a toddlers' playgroup on the first floor
Dromara Down 1830 c.Masonic hall
Dromore Down 18th centuryReplaced in 1886
Dromore Down 1886
Ederney Fermanagh 1839 c. Rebuilt in 1889 as a town hallRedeveloped in 1989 as a community centre
Ederney Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 204165.jpg
Eglinton Londonderry 1825Occupied by Faughanvale Credit Union [2]
Eglinton near the main street.jpg
Hillsborough Down 1760 c.; 2nd phase c. 1810Court house and tourist information centre
Hillsborough Market House.jpg
Hilltown Down 1828Part of a public house
Irvinestown Fermanagh 1835 (before)Shop
Kilkeel Down 1800Upper floor was used as a courthouse. Demolished in 1952
No masks on public transport shocks the nation!.jpg
Killyleagh Down 1788 c."Drop-in" centre
Killyleagh Market House.JPG
Lisbellaw Fermanagh 1830 c.Butchers
Lisburn Antrim 18th century ? Irish linen centre and museum
Lisburn Market House.JPG
Loughgall Armagh 1746
Maghera Londonderry 18th century ?Replaced in 1824
Maghera Londonderry 1824(2nd market house) Offices
Maguiresbridge Fermanagh 1835 c.Vacant ?
Markethill Armagh Shop
Middletown Armagh 1829Offices
Moira Down 1810 c.Offices ?
Moneymore Londonderry 1819Public house and vacant
Moneymore Londonderry 1839Shops and private houses
Newtownards Down 1765See full article on Market House, Newtownards
Newtownards Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 466808.jpg
Newtownbutler Fermanagh 1830 c.
Portaferry Down 1752Sub-office of Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Market House, Portaferry (01), October 2009.JPG
Randalstown Antrim 1831Library (previously court house)
Randalstown Library - geograph.org.uk - 636472.jpg
Rathfriland Down 1770 c.
Saintfield Down 1802Orange Hall
Saintfield Market House.jpg
Toome Antrim 1830 (before) Bookmaker
Trillick Tyrone 1820 c.Masonic hall
Masonic Hall, Trillick - geograph.org.uk - 1382705.jpg

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References

  1. "National Museums NI". www.nmni.com. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  2. "Faughanvale Credit Union". faughanvalecreditunion.co.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2021.

Sources

Further reading