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.
Table of market houses locations
editTown |
County |
Date built |
Current use |
Image and/or link |
---|---|---|---|---|
Antrim | Antrim | 1726 | Vacant (formerly court house) | |
Armagh | Armagh | 1815 | Library and learning centre | |
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 century | Now an accountant's office | |
Ballymena | Antrim | 1684 | Burnt down 1919, town hall built on site in 1924 | History of Ballymena, photograph of Market House |
Ballymoney | Antrim | 1755 c. | masonic hall | |
Ballynahinch | Down | 1795 | Community centre | |
Banbridge | Down | 1832 | Offices | |
Bangor | Down | 1810 or 1780 | Bank | |
Belfast (Waring Street) | Antrim | 1769 | Formerly a bank, now unused | Belfast markets history |
Belfast (St George's Market) | Antrim | 1890s | Still in use as market | |
Brookeborough | Fermanagh | 1837 (before) | Vacant ? (Formerly Orange Hall) | |
Caledon | Tyrone | 1830 c. | – | |
Carrickfergus | Antrim | 1755 ? | Art gallery | |
Castlewellan | Down | 1764 c. | Library | |
Clogher | Tyrone | 1837 | – | |
Crossgar | Down | 1829 | Boarded up and missing its clock | |
Cushendall | Antrim | 1858[1] | ||
Dervock | Antrim | 1805 | Cafe and hairdressers | |
Donaghadee | Down | 1819 c. | Shops | |
Draperstown | Londonderry | 1839 | A library on the ground Floor; a toddlers' playgroup on the first floor | |
Dromara | Down | 1830 c. | Masonic hall | |
Dromore | Down | 18th century | Replaced in 1886 | |
Dromore | Down | 1886 | – | |
Ederney | Fermanagh | 1839 c. Rebuilt in 1889 as a town hall | Redeveloped in 1989 as a community centre | |
Eglinton | Londonderry | 1825 | Occupied by Faughanvale Credit Union[2] | |
Hillsborough | Down | 1760 c.; 2nd phase c. 1810 | Court house and tourist information centre | |
Hilltown | Down | 1828 | Part of a public house | |
Irvinestown | Fermanagh | 1835 (before) | Shop | |
Kilkeel | Down | 1800 | Upper floor was used as a courthouse. Demolished in 1952 | |
Killyleagh | Down | 1788 c. | "Drop-in" centre | |
Lisbellaw | Fermanagh | 1830 c. | Butchers | |
Lisburn | Antrim | 18th century ? | Irish linen centre and museum | |
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 | 1829 | Offices | |
Moira | Down | 1810 c. | Offices ? | |
Moneymore | Londonderry | 1819 | Public house and vacant | |
Moneymore | Londonderry | 1839 | Shops and private houses | |
Newtownards | Down | 1765 | See full article on Market House, Newtownards | |
Newtownbutler | Fermanagh | 1830 c. | – | |
Portaferry | Down | 1752 | Sub-office of Northern Ireland Housing Executive | |
Randalstown | Antrim | 1831 | Library (previously court house) | |
Rathfriland | Down | 1770 c. | – | |
Saintfield | Down | 1802 | Orange Hall | |
Toome | Antrim | 1830 (before) | Bookmaker | |
Trillick | Tyrone | 1820 c. | Masonic hall |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Market houses in Northern Ireland.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "National Museums NI". www.nmni.com. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Faughanvale Credit Union". faughanvalecreditunion.co.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
Sources
edit- A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Samuel Lewis (1838)
- Buildings at Risk (various volumes), Ulster Architectural Heritage Society
- Saintfield Conservation Area, The Planning Service Agency, Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland
Further reading
edit- McParland, Edward (2001) Public Architecture in Ireland 1680–1760 Yale University Press ISBN 0-300-09064-1
External links
edit- Ulster Architectural Heritage Society
- Irish Antiquities (with many pictures of market houses)