Palladian, built c.1774-6 of Mansfield stone by Carr of York, and a fine example of its type and period. Ingenious T-plan incorporating butcher's market. Above the market a fine assembly hall. Facing the Market Place behind the loggia a small Council Chamber with good doorcases. Behind the butchers' hall, a market hall of 1884 by Charles Bell. (1)
On the north side [of the market hall], former gaol, mid C19, brick, with slate roof. (2)
Newark’s Town Hall (1774-76) is the preeminent building on Market Place, occupying the majority of the western side of the square. Designed by John Carr, the building is constructed from brick and Mansfield white sandstone with a slate roof concealed behind a parapet. An Act of Parliament was granted in 1773 to allow the sale of Corporation property funding the construction of a new town hall and shambles (meat market) to replace existing premises close to the churchyard. The new municipal edifice was designed to accommodate offices and a council chamber for the Corporation, a public Assembly Room as well as a market hall and two residences. The Town Hall featured in the second volume of George Richardson’s New Vitruvius Britannicus in 1807, showing the premises largely as built. The three-bay central section projects forwards with giant Doric columns supporting a pediment containing the town arms. The pediment is flanked on either side by the statues of a lion and unicorn and is topped with a statue of Justice which was renewed in 1983. The final part of the Town Hall complex to be completed was the southern house, delayed because of landownership issues. This was constructed in 1786-9 after the demolition of the Green Dragon Inn. By the 1830s one of the houses was taken over for use as Borough Police Station and a cell block associated with this use survives on the north side of the Buttermarket. In 1883-4 the site of the shambles was used for a covered butter market. This comprised an open hall at ground-floor level with a ballroom above. In 1989-91 a major scheme of refurbishment of the town hall by Guy St John Taylor Associates and James Brotherhood Associates took place. At the rear of the town hall the Royal Exchange Shopping Centre was built at the same time. (3)
Market Hall of 1883-4, which forms the rear of the Town Hall and links Middle Gate to Market Place via the covered market. The Market Hall was conceived in 1882 when the Borough Council resolved to erect a covered market on the site of the Shambles. It was constructed to the designs of architect Charles Bell (1846-99). The main space comprises a single large hall with a cast-iron roof structure covered with a glazed roof. It is fronted in brick with a large Dutch gable. The central entrance from Middle Gate is flanked to either side by tall arched windows and additional entrances to either side provide access to commercial premises. The Newark coat of arms is represented in a niche above the entrance. The building originally contained 17 lock-up shops and was lit by gas. The market was not a commercial success and by 1896 the local press described building as ‘built for business which never came’. The covered market area was converted to provide multiple shop premises in 1988-1990 under the direction of Guy St John Taylor Associates. (3)

Listed buildings slides, 38 slides (Photograph). SNT2648.

<1> Pevsner N, 1979, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire 2nd ed., p 190-1 (Monograph). SNT4.

<2> DOE, Listed Building Description (Published document). SNT228.

<3> Historic England, 2024, Newark on Trent, Historic Area Assessment by Historic England (Unpublished document). SNT6029.