Leeds Corn Exchange
The present Corn Exchange building was designed by the architect Cuthbert Brodrick, and constructed between 1861 and 1863.
Opinions will vary on the external appearance, but the interior is magnificent.
The elliptical plan would have been challenging for the builders. The design of the roof structure is impressive even by today's computer-aided design-assisted standards.
1861 'LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE NEW CORN EXCHANGE, LEEDS. The foundation stone of the New Corn Exchange was laid on Tuesday afternoon, by Mr. Alderman Gill, in the presence of the Corporation, and a large assembly of cornfactors and the general public. The site selected is the plot of ground lying between Call-lane and the White Cloth Hall, and bounded on the sides by Call-lane, Cloth-hall-streets, the Calls, and Crown-street. The building is to be of stone, dressed externally, and cased internally with coloured bricks, and will possess two handsome porticoed entrances, the principal one facing Duncan-street, and the other the direction of Kirkgate. The ground plan of building is a perfect oval. The markets occupy the centre area, and are surrounded by suites of offices in two tiers, the basement forming an extensive cellarage; the upper tier of offices are accessible by a gallery which runs entirely round the inside of the building. The whole is covered in by an elegant iron roof, takes the form of the building, and rises to a height of 75 feet above the floor of the markets. Externally this roof has the appearance of an elliptical dome. The building will remind one of the ancient Roman amphitheatres, a form that has never been adopted in this country before, at least on such an scale. It is remarkably well adapted to the inequalities of the site, and will open out very considerably this closely built-up neighbourhood. The total area occupied by the building is 2055 square yards. The factors' market covers 960 square yards, and the farmers' market 400. There will fifty-six sets of offices, seventeen of them having their entrances from the market only, the rest having immediate access from the streets. The building will be 160 feet long by 136 wide, and 86 feet high from the cellar floor. There will be a news rooms, telegraph office, and every requisite convenience provided for the transaction of the business to be carried on. The architect is Mr. Cuthbert Brodrick, of Leeds; the contractors, Mr. Addy, of Leeds, for the building; and Messrs. Butler and Co., of Leeds, for the iron roof. The total cost, exclusive of land, will be about £15,000. Mr. Cairns is the clerk of works. The works are to be finished in twelve months from the present time, but it is pected that the building will be so far completed as to allow the factors to meet for the transaction of business at the commencement of 1862.'[1]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Yorkshire Gazette - Saturday 11 May 1861