1771 – Market House, Newtownards, Co. Down
The Market House was commissioned by Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry to be the centre of the market town. Constructed using Scrabo stone between 1765 and 1771. Originally the ground floor was arcaded for the use of the market with assembly rooms on the upper floor. The main facade is eleven bays long with a projecting central section featuring a doorway with a fanlight on the ground floor, a Venetian window on the first floor, and a pediment containing a clock above. The tower with weathervane was added in 1778.
The 6th Marquess of Londonderry gifted the building to the town commissioners in September 1897. In 1903 the arcading on the ground floor was replaced with round-headed windows, to allow the whole building to be used for municipal purposes. It remained in use as the headquarters of Newtownards Borough Council until the early 1970s. After lying empty for some years, it has been restored.
Published March 29, 2021 | Last Updated November 3, 2023