Old Market Hall

Cadw's description

Location

At the crossroads in the centre of the town.

History

Thought to have been built ca 1600 by Jenkins Lloyd of Berthlwyd. Assize courts known to have been held here in 1605/1606. The date 1738 on the weathervane relates to reconstruction of the belfry; the S end wall has at some stage been rebuilt in stone and the brick N wall has a datestone of 1765. The stone plinths to the timber piers came from the ruined house Middle Glandulas in 1813.
Several attempts were made in 1860's and 1870's for the Corporation to purchase the building for demolition but these were resisted. In 1897 the Working Men's Institute and Library transferred here from thier premises in Short Bridge Street; they moved to the Town Hall on its opening in 1908. In 1918 the Llanidloes Corporation purchased the building and in 1933 opened it as a museum of Local History and Industry. There is said to have been an attempt to move it in mid C20 and in 1957-9 it was restored.

Exterior

2-storey, 5-bay black and white market hall with open ground floor - the southern bay on E side is closed in. Slate roof with octagonal small pane galzed cupola and weathervane; overhanging eaves (cut back on E side at ends). Rubble S gable, red brick N gable; close studded timberwork between with deep middle rails; chamfered bressumers with segmental arched braces below. The windows are small pane with protruding frames and rise to eaves level; 3 to the W side and 1 to the E side are fixed, otherwise they are horizontally sliding sashes. The E side formerly had a boarded loading door dating from when the upper floor was used as a wool store.

The S end has a low cambered arch with voussoirs; timber head to the arch on the inner side. The N gable end is of Flemish bond brick; toothed band above 1st floor 12-pane horned sashes with flush frames and cambered heads; further band course over paired cambered ground floor openings with voussoirs. At the NW corner is a stone from which John Wesley is said to have preached in 1748, 1749 and 1764.

Interior

The interior of the upper floor has 5-bay largely renewed roof, one truss of which was formerly infilled partitioning off the gaol at S end. Stop chamfered beams. Modern staircase.

Reason for designation

The only market hall of this type to survive in Wales.

Group value.