Corn Exchange, Bridgwater

Corn Exchange
Corn Exchange, Church of St Mary and statue of Robert Blake
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or city	Bridgwater
Country	England
Coordinates	51°07′40″N 3°00′09″W / 51.1278°N 3.0025°W / 51.1278; -3.0025Coordinates: 51°07′40″N 3°00′09″W / 51.1278°N 3.0025°W / 51.1278; -3.0025
Construction started	1834
Completed	1875

The Corn Exchange and market house in Bridgwater, Somerset, England was built in 1834 by John Bowen and extended in 1875,^[1] by Charles Knowles. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.^[2]

The original market hall, which dates from 1791,^[3] is fronted by a circular portico with a domed roof with Tuscan pillars.^[2] The destinctive portico was added after the north and south sides of the corn market were demolished for road widening in 1825.^[4]

It was originally surrounded by railings to separate the livestock from the food produce. The railings were removed in 1895.^[5]

In front of the building is a statue of Robert Blake who was born in the town. The statue was made in 1898 by D W Pomeroy and has since been repositioned to face down Cornhill.^[6]

See also

• Corn exchange
• List of Grade I listed buildings in Sedgemoor

References

1. ^ Gathercole, Clare. "Bridgwater Archaeological Assessment". Somerset Extensive Urban Survey. Somerset County Council. p. 18. http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/EUS_BridgwaterText.pdf. Retrieved 12 September 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Corn Exchange/Market House and attached railings". Images of England. English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=373860. Retrieved 14 May 2009. 
3. ^ Lambert, Tim. "Bridgwater". Local Histories. http://www.localhistories.org/bridgwater.html. Retrieved 12 September 2011. 
4. ^ Dunning, Robert; C R Elrington (Editors), A P Baggs, M C Siraut (1992). "Volume 6: Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and neighbouring parishes)". A History of the County of Somerset:. British History Online. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18644#s3. Retrieved 12 September 2011. 
5. ^ "The Cornhill". Bridgwater Somerset. http://www.bridgwatersomerset.info/history_10_the_cornhill.php. Retrieved 12 September 2011. 
6. ^ "Blake Statue". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=373861. Retrieved 30 October 2007.