- Market houses in Northern Ireland
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Market houses are a notable feature of many Northern Ireland towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were 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.
Sort by Town, County or Date
Town County Built (date) Current use Image and/or link Antrim Antrim 1726 Vacant (formerly Court House) Armagh Armagh 1815 Library & Learning Centre Aughnacloy Tyrone - Shops ? Ballycastle Antrim 1830 (circa) Local Museum Ballyclare Antrim 18th century ? Demolished 1866, Town Hall built on site Ballyclare Antrim 19th century (2nd Market House) Shopping Centre Ballymena Antrim 1684 Burnt down 1919, Town Hall built on site History of Ballymena, photograph of Market House Ballymoney Antrim 1755 circa Masonic Hall Ballynahinch Down 1795 Community centre (recently restored) 
Banbridge Down 1832 Offices Bangor Down 1810 or 1780 Bank Belfast (Waring Street) Antrim 1769 Formerly a Bank, now unused Belfast markets history Brookeborough Fermanagh 1837 (before) Vacant ? (Formerly Orange Hall) Caledon Tyrone 1830 (circa) - Carrickfergus Antrim 1755 ? Art gallery Castlewellan Down 1764 (circa) Library Clogher Tyrone 1837 - Crossgar Down 1829 Boarded up and missing its clock 
Dervock Antrim 1805 Derelict ? Donaghadee Down 1819 (circa) Shops Draperstown Londonderry 1839 Showroom Dromara Down 1830 (circa) Masonic Hall Dromore Down 18th century Replaced in 1886 Dromore Down 1886 - Ederney Fermanagh 1839 (circa) Rebuilt in 1889 as a town hall 1989 Redeveloped to a Community Centre 
Ederney TownhallHillsborough Down 1760 (circa); 2nd phase circa 1810 Court House and Tourist Information 
Hilltown Down 1828 Part of Public House Irvinestown Fermanagh 1835 (before) Shop Killyleagh Down 1788 (circa) "Drop-in" centre 
Lisbellaw Fermanagh 1830 (circa) Shop Lisburn Antrim 18th century ? Irish Linen Centre & Museum 
Loughgall Armagh 1746 - Maghera Londonderry 18th century ? Replaced in 1824 Maghera Londonderry 1824 (2nd Market House) Offices Maguiresbridge Fermanagh 1835 (circa) Vacant ? Markethill Armagh - Shop Middletown Armagh 1829 Offices Moira Down 1810 (circa) Offices ? Moneymore Londonderry 1819 Public House & Vacant Moneymore Londonderry 1839 Shops & Private Houses Newtownards Down 1765 Town Hall Newtownbutler Fermanagh 1830 (circa) - Portaferry Down 1752 Sub-Office of Northern Ireland Housing Executive Randalstown Antrim 1831 Library (previously Court House?) Rathfriland Down 1770 (circa) - Saintfield Down 1802 Orange Hall 
Toome Antrim 1830 (before) Bookmaker Trillick Tyrone 1820 (circa) Masonic Hall Contents
See also
- Architecture of Ireland
- Historic houses in Northern Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
- Market Houses in the Republic of Ireland
References
- A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Samuel Lewis (1838)
- Buildings at Risk (various volumes) - Ulster Architectural Heritage Society
- Saintfield Conservation Area - The Planning Service agency of Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland
Further reading
- McParland, Edward (2001) Public Architecture in Ireland 1680-1760 Yale University Press ISBN 0 300 09064 1
External links
Categories:- Architecture in Northern Ireland
- Market houses
- Lists of buildings and structures in Northern Ireland
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