page_title: Corn exchanges in England
section_title: Hertfordshire
hierarchical_section_title: Corn exchanges in England / Corn exchanges listed by Ceremonial Counties of England / Hertfordshire
caption_attribution_description: English: Corn Exchange, Bishop's Stortford Large neo-Grecian style building (1828) in the centre of Bishop's Stortford which once was surrounded by a very large malting industry. http://www.bishopsstortfordtc.gov.uk/
context_page_description: In England, corn exchanges are distinct buildings which were originally created as a venue for corn merchants to meet and arrange pricing with farmers for the sale of wheat, barley and other corn crops. The word "corn" in British English denotes all cereal grains, such as wheat and barley. With the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846, a large number of corn exchanges were built, particularly in the corn-growing areas of Eastern England. However, with the fall in price of English corn as a result of cheap imports, corn exchanges virtually ceased to be built after the 1870s. Increasingly they were put to other uses, particularly as meeting and concert halls. Many found a new lease of life in the early 20th century as cinemas, Following the Second World War, many could not be maintained and they were demolished. In the 1970s their architectural importance came to be appreciated, and most of the surviving examples are listed buildings. Most of the surviving corn exchanges have now been restored, and many have become arts centres, theatres or concert halls.
context_section_description: Bishop's Stortford Corn Exchange. 1828. In Grecian Revival style by Lewis Vulliamy
  Hertford. Corn exchange reconstructed by William Hill of Leeds.
  Hitchin. The corn exchange, 31 Market Place, Hitchin (1853) It was built at a cost of £2000, and designed by William Beck, a local architect. On market days the corn exchange was filled with up to 30 tables, and corn dealers and seedman hired the tables. The 'Market Company' helped with the running costs and leased the market tolls from the Crown for 31 years. In December 1941 the corn exchange was opened as a British Restaurant, and catered for 600 people a day. By the 1950s and 1960s the building was used as a skating rink. During the 1980s and 1990s, the corn exchange became a craft and antique centre and later became a popular venue. There were plenty of stalls selling arts and crafts, and a small café, a bar and night club, known as Que Pasa.
  Royston Corn Exchange, Market Hill. (1829)  Built in moulded yellow bricks patented by Caleb Hitch. One storey with hipped slated roof. Hollow rectangle plan. West front central doorway leads through to courtyard with covered walk under wide roof eaves on cast iron posts.
  St Alban's. Corn exchange by James Murray, of Coventry, and later of the firm of Pugin & Murray, of London. From design selected in a competition in 1854, and carried out in the Italian style "with details partaking of the Romanesque".
  Watford. Corn exchange by John Murray. The corn exchange and market house belonging to Watford Corporation was burnt down in June 1853 and the contents, consisting of 90 quarters of wheat, 100 quarters of oats, and a considerable quantity of barley, and other produce, destroyed. The new corn exchange was completed in 1855 and later became the Kinetic Cinema.
caption: Corn Exchange, Bishop's Stortford 1828
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