Brecon Market

Cadw's description

Location

Occupying large site between High Street and Market Street; High Street entrance near junction with Castle Street.

History

First erected 1840 to 1841, to the design of T H Wyatt; extended in 1845; rear Market Hall erected 1897 "on the site of the Butchers' Stalls and Butter Market". Old photos appear to show a wooden roof structure in the larger hall rather than the present steel-framed roof.

Exterior

Narrow entrance from High Street Superior through stone archway with keystone flanked by Tuscan pilasters supporting an entablature with modillion cornice, surmounted by a blind balustraded parapet. The aisles of the Market Hall are faced externally with stone rubble in regular courses; outer aisles with gabled roofs and centre aisle with hipped roof. Rear elevation in Market Street of 3 bays; outer bays gabled. To centre, blocked window retaining stone cornice; blocked camber-headed windows to outer bays. Ground floor entries to vaults with ashlar band above; two segmental doorways to centre; outer bays with inner round-headed window, and outer camber-headed doorway. Side blocks with brick barrel-vaulted roofs; centre wing with groined vaulted roof.

Interior

Narrow passage with walls of stone leads to wider arcaded section of market. Beyond, larger market hall of 1897; ten bays in three aisles with taller centre aisle and all three lit by continuous roof lights and ending in a blind facade to Market Street; built upon an impressive substructure of vaults. Plaque at far end records building of the larger hall in 1897. A painted wooden board records tolls in 1905.

Reason for designation

Impressive market building with early C19 origins, and strong architectural presence especially to Market Street. Group value with adjacent listed buildings.