Corn Exchange, Devizes

Until the mid-19th century, corn merchants in the town traded their goods in the open, with sacks piled around the market cross.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uwKbSwAACAAJ |last=Haycock|first=Lorna|title=Devizes: History and Guide|publisher=Tempus|location=Stroud, England|year=2000|edition=2|page=92|isbn=978-0752421599}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yS-gAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA576 |title=A History, Military and Municipal of the Ancient Borough of the Devizes and, subordinately, of the Entire Hundred of Potterne and Cannings, in which it is Included|first= James|last= Waylen|year=1859|page=576|publisher=Longman, Brown and Company}} In the mid-19th century, civic officials decided to commission a purpose-built corn exchange: the site they selected was occupied by the Bear Assembly Rooms. The old assembly rooms were demolished and new assembly rooms were erected at the rear of the Bear Hotel.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DZCAAAAAIAAJ |title=Around Devizes in old photographs |first=David|last= Buxton|year= 1990|page=11|publisher=Sutton Publishing|isbn=978-0862996208}}{{cite web|first1=A. P. |last1=Baggs|first2= D. A.|last2=Crowley|first3=Ralph B. |last3=Pugh|first4=Janet H. |last4=Stevenson |first5= Margaret|last5= Tomlinson|title= 'The borough of Devizes: Trade, agriculture and local government', in A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 10, ed. Elizabeth Crittall |location=London|year=1975|pages= 252–285|publisher= British History Online|url= http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol10/pp252-285 |access-date= 13 May 2023}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HgvXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT11 |title=Devizes Through Time|first1= Bob |last1=Clarke|first2= John|last2= Girvan|first3= Jon |last3=Sanigar |year=2014|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn=978-1445620978}}

The current building was designed by William Hill of Leeds in the neoclassical style, built by John Rendall of Devizes in ashlar stone at a cost of £3,456 and was officially opened by the mayor, Henry Butcher, on 3 December 1857.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xxeUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT446 |title=Industrial Britain An Architectural History |first= Hubert J. |last=Pragnell |year= 2021|publisher=Batsford|isbn=978-1849947336}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ieUNAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA137 |title=The Municipal corporations companion, diary, directory, and year book of statistics|first= J. R. S. |last=Vine|year= 1886|publisher=Waterlow and Sons|page=137}}{{cite web|url=http://www.devizesheritage.co.uk/CornExchange.html|title=The Corn Exchange, Devizes Wiltshire|publisher=Devizes Heritage| access-date= 13 May 2023}} The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of five bays facing onto the Market Place. The central section of three bays featured three round headed openings with fanlights, architraves and keystones flanked by Corinthian order columns, supporting a frieze, an entablature and stone balustrade. The outer bays were fenestrated by round headed windows with architraves and keystones. At roof level, there was a central pedestal supporting a statue of the goddess, Ceres, as well as four decorative urns. The Station Road elevation featured a long range of round headed openings flanked by Corinthian order pilasters supporting a frieze, an entablature and a parapet in a similar style to the main elevation.

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.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=obn5AQAAQBAJ|first=T. W. |last=Fletcher|title= 'The Great Depression of English Agriculture 1873-1896' in British Agriculture 1875-1914 |location=London|publisher= Methuen|year= 1973|isbn=978-1136581182|page= 31}} However, the building was used as a public venue and concert performers included the contralto singer, Kathleen Ferrier, who made an appearance on 13 April 1953.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=by3Etg9iHjsC&pg=PA303 |title=Letters and Diaries of Kathleen Ferrier: Revised and Enlarged Edition| first=Christopher|last= Fifield |publisher=Boydell Press|year=2011|isbn=978-1843830917|page=303}} It was used for scenes in the film, Far from the Madding Crowd, which starred Julie Christie and was made in 1967.{{cite web|url=https://www.movie-locations.com/movies/f/Far-From-The-Madding-Crowd-1967.php|title=Far From The Madding Crowd|publisher=Movie Locations|access-date= 13 May 2023}} Later performers included the rock band, The Who, in November 1968,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c5yUA_S5pGoC&pg=PA305 |title=Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of the WHO 1958–1978|first1=Andrew |last1=Neill|first2= Matthew|last2= Kent |year= 2009 |page=305|publisher=Sterling Publishing Company|isbn=978-1402766916}} the progressive rock band, Yes, in September 1971 and the hard rock band, Thin Lizzy, in February 1973.{{cite web|url=https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/devizes-corn-exchange |title= Devizes Corn Exchange Concerts|publisher=Concert Archives| access-date=13 May 2023}} The heavy metal band, Judas Priest, also performed there in October 1974.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=qRTEsW44NDQC&pg=PT327 |title=The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith |first= Neil |last=Daniels |year=2010|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0857122391}}

The condition of the building declined significantly during the 1980s. After an extensive programme of refurbishment works in the early 1990s, the building was re-opened by the local member of parliament, Sir Charles Morrison, on 3 May 1995. In May 2010, the building was also the venue for a performance of the musical, Smike, adapted from Charles Dickens' 1839 novel Nicholas Nickleby with music by Roger Holman and Simon May.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=WpadEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT183 |title=Times of My Life – Part Two The Best of Times |first= Carole|last= Payne|publisher=Austin Macauley Publishers|year=2022|isbn= 978-1398412927}}{{cite news|url=https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/10379059.devizes-composer-visits-musicals-cast/|title=Devizes composer visits musical's cast|date=26 April 2013|newspaper=Gazette and Herald|access-date= 13 May 2023}} In September 2010, May returned to the corn exchange to play numbers from his compilation album of television and film music, The Simon May Collection.{{cite news|url=http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/8355516.Last_call_for_Peggy_from_Devizes_man/ |title=Last call for Peggy from Devizes man |date=27 August 2010|newspaper=Gazette and Herald|access-date= 13 May 2023}}

• Corn exchanges in England

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Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1857

Category:Grade II listed buildings in Wiltshire

Devizes

Category:Devizes

Category:William Hill (English architect) buildings