MSO10845 - Town Hall or Market House, Fore Street, Dulverton (Building)

Summary

The Market House is now a hall over shops. It is dated 1866 and appears to have replaced a building of 1760. It was converted with the addition of a porch in 1930.

Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record .

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

The market house is now a hall over shops. It is dated 1866, and was converted with the addition of a porch in 1930 by Sir A.E. Richardson. [1] The building includes a very elegant porch and stairway. [2] Medieval attempts to establish Dulverton as a borough led to the establishment of a market, which survives in small measure today. [3] The Market House is an 18th century building, converted into the Town Hall and furnished in 1927 with exterior steps. [4] The market house was rebuilt in the 19th century. [5] The Market Hall built in 1866 replaces one of 1760. [6] In 1760, it was agreed that a Market House would be built to replace the Shambles, but it was another 100 years before they were demolished. The lower floor of the Market House was open and used mainly for market stalls, though it did at one point house the Dulverton fire engine. The upper room was used for functions, including the Magistrates Court. During the Second World War, evacuated school children were taught at the Town Hall, and the Town Hall kitchen was used to cook food for the schools. [7] The building was visited in February 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [9] The building was photographed in c.1900, before the building was reconstructed by Professor (later Sir) Albert Richardson in 1927 as the Town Hall. At this point, it did pot possess its "trademark double flight of steps". [10]

Sources/Archives (10)

  • <1> Index: Department of the Environment. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest . 36th List, District of West Somerset. 04/08/1986.
  • <2> Monograph: Pevsner, N.. 1958. The Buildings of England: South and West Somerset. Penguin Books.
  • <3> Report: Green, T., Humphreys, C. + Waterhouse, R.. Woodliving, Dulverton, Somerset: Results of an Archaeological Building Survey and Desk-Based Study. P.5, 6.
  • <4> Monograph: Binding, H. + Bonham-Carter, V.. 1986. Old Dulverton and Around: Dulverton - Bury - Brushford - Exebridge. The Exmoor Press. P.9, 58, 77, Photographs.
  • <5> Article in monograph: Gathercole, C.. 2003. English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey: An Archaeological Assessment of Dulverton. The Somerset Urban Archaeological Survey. English Heritage. P.13, 14.
  • <6> Unpublished document: Fisher, J.. c.2003. Dulverton Conservation Area Appraisal. p5, 8, 13, 15, 26, Photographs.
  • <7> Monograph: Dulverton and District Civic Society. 2002. The Book of Dulverton, Brushford, Bury and Exebridge. Halsgrove. P.10-11, 13, 15-17, 24, 37-38, 40, 45, 51, 54, 59, 68, 71, 90, 95-96, 99, 101, 105-106, Photographs.
  • <8> Monograph: Siraut, M.. 2009. Exmoor: The Making of an English Upland. Phillimore & Co. Ltd. 1st Edition. P.94, 121, Photograph.
  • <9> Report: Lawrence, G.. 2014. Exmoor National Park: Rapid condition survey of listed buildings 2012-13.
  • <10> Monograph: Binding, H., Pearce, B. and Pugsley, S.. 2001. Exmoor Century: A century of change through fascinating historic and contemporary photographs of Exmoor. Exmoor Books. 39.

External Links (0)

Other Statuses/References

  • 2012-3 Building At Risk Score (6): 1648/15/74
  • Local List Status (Unassessed)
  • National Park: Exmoor National Park
  • Somerset SMR PRN: 31405

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 9139 2789 (20m by 20m) (Estimated from sources)
Map sheet SS92NW
Civil Parish DULVERTON, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Mar 10 2021 4:00PM

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