Description

NEWTON ABBOT

SX8571SE MARKET STREET
1012-1/13/98 (East side)
06/06/72 Alexandra Theatre and Market Hall to
the rear
(Formerly Listed as:
MARKET STREET
Alexandra Theatre)

GV II

Former corn exchange, now a cinema. Dated 1871. By John
Chudleigh.
MATERIALS: squared Devon limestone and stucco with some
freestone dressings, slate roof and moulded stack to the rear
of left return.
PLAN: rectangular plan with projecting west tower and infilled
angles.

ALEXANDRA THEATRE EXTERIOR: an Italianate palazzo style
central projecting belvedere tower in 3 stages has wide eaves
and a modillion cornice to a shallow-pitched pyramidal roof.
Freestone impost and sill bands to paired semicircular-arched
windows, blind to the front, in the upper stage, the second
stage has a semicircular-arched recess containing a hood mould
with foliate stops over a circular window. A panel below with
a rich dentil cornice reads "Erected 1871".
The rusticated semicircular entrance arch below has chamfered
jambs. The angles between the tower and the main block have
curved stucco infills with cornices to the ground floor and
square stucco infills to the first floor, both possibly later
additions.
The 5-bay exchange, articulated by plain pilasters, has an
eaves band and plinth forming recesses with blind
semicircular-arched windows with continuous sill bands. The
ridge has two C20 cylindrical vents with conical tops.
INTERIOR: not inspected.

MARKET HALL EXTERIOR: attached to the rear is similar in style
to Alexandra Theatre.
INTERIOR: 6-bays with cast-iron columns approx 10m high, with
wrought-iron ties and wooden principals; aisle posts are
connected by arcade rails to each side forming semicircular
arches with diminishing circles to the spandrels. The sloping
ceilings to the aisles have diagonal planking and 4 purlins; a
clerestory above the aisles has 6 square windows between each
column; the central apex has 6 purlins to each side with

various thin metal ties.
South wall has 12 segmental-arched recesses, 2 with doors; the
north aisle has a partly-glazed roof, the north wall has 8
arches and two 2/2-pane sash windows to the north-west corner.

The west end abutting the Alexandra Theatre has triple
semicircular-arched recesses above one similar wide recess and
a C20 metal roller shutter, the east end is occupied by a C20
cafe.
HISTORY: the site was developed after its purchase from the
Rev. Richard Lane by the Wolborough Local Board in 1867.
(BoE: Pevsner N & Cherry B: Devon: London: 1989-: 592; Jones
R: A Book of Newton Abbot: Callington: 1979-: 56-7).

Listing NGR: SX8586971367

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Alexandra Theatre at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q26548319

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)