Warwickshire News Mine

After careful consideration of the historic nature of the building, Listed Building Consent has been given for internal and external works which will significantly improve ground floor access and also aim to increase visitor numbers and provide a welcome boost to tourism in the current troubled business climate.

The works are being carried out in two phases so that the Museum can be open for the peak summer season – preliminary works in May and June, and more structural work later in the year.

The Market Hall will remain open for the Bank Holiday in May and will then close with effect from Tuesday 5th May and throughout June for the first phase of the works which will be mainly internal. The museum will reopen for the peak holiday season early in July and will remain open until the autumn to allow involvement in the exciting exhibitions, festivals and events planned for both the museum and Warwick town centre. The second phase of work, which will include the relocation of the main doors and new reception counter and shop, will take place at the end of the year. Further details regarding this will be published in due course.

When both phases are complete, improvements will include a new, more accessible, main entrance which is moving from the current location to face up Swan Street and which will provide easy street level access for visitors. On entering, visitors will be greeted by staff in a new reception counter & shop area which will be compliant with Disability Discrimination Act standards. External improvements to the glazed arches will also improve the welcome and encourage tourists. The old entrance will be infilled to match the other existing arches. 

Care has been taken to minimise the impact on the historic fabric of the Market Hall and proposals have been informed by thorough historical research into the building and consideration of alternatives, including consultation with Warwick Society. 

The relocation of the main entrance to face Swan Street will necessitate the movement of some of the stalls which form the Warwick Charter Market. However plans are being put together to produce an all year round market layout which will benefit regular customers, traders and the market operator E G Skett & Company who will be celebrating 50 years of operating the Saturday market in Warwick in 2009.

As from Wednesday 6th May museum staff are delighted to announce the relaunch of the “new look” museum website! The website aims to attract new visitors to the museum service and allow internet users to explore our collections at any time. Log on to http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/museum to see what the new site has to offer, and keep visiting us even while we are closed!

Simon Robson, Interim Head of Libraries, Learning & Culture said: “Market Hall is a well-known and well-loved building, and we are delighted to be making improvements which will make both the building and the museum collection more accessible to visitors. The improvements to our on line offer will allow further appreciation of what the museum service has to offer and we hope will entice users to make a personal visit to add to their overall experience.”

Members of the public are still welcome to contact museum Staff by telephoning 01926 412500, emailing museum@warwickshire.gov.uk or by visiting St John’s House during opening hours. Updates about the work to Market Hall and the re-opening of the building will be available on the newly launched website and further information will be available at St John’s House and on information boards outside The Market Hall.

History of the Building: The Grade II* Listed Warwick Market Hall lies at the south end of the market place within the Anglo-Saxon and medieval town and within Warwick Conservation Area.  Along with other Listed Buildings around the Market Place it makes a considerable contribution to the historic townscape of Warwick. The current building, which was built in 1670 under the supervision of the Warwickshire craftsman-architect, William Hurlbutt, stands on the site of an earlier, probably medieval, market building, buried remains of which may survive. The building is two storied with an attic and with fine first floor rooms over an arcaded ground floor, originally open and used for market stalls.  Much of the late 17th-century structure still survives.  Through the 18th century the upper floors were rented out for various activities from wild beast shows to wool storage, and in 1836 it was leased to the newly formed Warwickshire Natural History and Archaeological Society for meetings and to house displays.  The ground floor was walled in 1879 and by 1905, when alterations including a new staircase were made, the Museum of the Society had taken over the whole structure.  In 1932 the collections were donated to the County Council who also acquired the building in 1938. The newly renovated Museum opened in 1951.  Further extensive renovations, including reroofing and the reconstruction of the original cupola took place in 1965.

Link to WCC