Building record 179/15 - Market Hall

The Market Hall stood in the market place off High Street. It was erected in 1720 and originally housed a sessions room above. The building fell down in 1737, was rebuilt, and fell down again in 1759. In consequence the Quarter Sessions were moved from Nantwich to Knutsford in 1760. The upper room was taken down and the lower part of the building served as a market hall for butter, eggs, poultry and provisions until 1868. The roof of this building was supported by brickwork on semicircular arches that rested on nine granite columns. The only ornament was a plume of feathers (the badge of the Prince of Wales), on the cornice above the central pillar on the south side. A new market hall was erected off Churchyardside in 1868 (1). The market hall is shown on a map of 1851 (2).

<1> Hall J, 1883, A History of the Town and Parish of Nantwich or Wich-Malbank in the County Palatine of Chester, /219-220 (Book). SCH80.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1851, Nantwich Board of Health Map, 1851 sheet 2 (Maps and Plans). SCH2431.