Part of the
Acorn Archive
Penzance,
Cornwall
Architecture
and Heritage
Market Place
and The Greenmarket
Before 1838
Whilst working on more recent alterations to the Lloyds
Bank building,
I discovered that Frederick G Drewitt had copies of
various drawings of Penzance,
prior to 1838 and of the completed building of 1838,
there are also photographs of the building and an
illustration of the original scheme.
These and the drawings of the alterations made in 1925,
that Geoffrey B Drewitt had designated to be sent to the
paper recycling plant,
were rescued (amongst others, with his permission);
these drawings will be lodged with Cornwall Record Office
at Truro.
There is also a drawing of the Town’s proposals for
Market Place, in 1948,
which is quite revealing. All of these will be placed on
this website.
The story of Market House (Lloyds Bank building), The
Fountain,
Humphry Davy’s monument and that of the Market Cross are
intertwined.
There are links with the Town’s water supply, in that the
Town Shoots (water chutes) delivered water at the bottom
end of
Causewayhead (one time Conseway Head, or North Street)
and this was at some time run on through Chapel Street,
as well as past the Market House to deliver water roughly
where the new
Water Feature has been placed; the water then continued
down through Market Jew Street,
to discharge via Neddy Betty’s Lane (Albert Street now)
to the sea.
From T Allom -
1831; an original Fisher, Son & Co print
A detail from
the above
1833, showing
the water shoots below Thomas’ Conveyancers offices, and the steps.
As can bee seen, this was a collection of separate
buildings.
Market House –
West Façade - 1825
Note the old chimney, which is still there, on Nr 32
Market Place.
Polkinghorne’s
1829
At the bottom of Causewayhead was the Town Shoot, fed
from the
Town Reservoir of 1757. The overspill led across the road
and into a gulley.
The Market Cross can be seen here in its third position,
having been moved from its known first position roughly
where the Police Station is at present,
and then to the centre of what was the Bullock Market,
now Greenmarket.
In that position, it was taken as the centre of the Town
Boundaries as defined in 1614.
The Cross was later moved to the new Market House,
with one of the inscriptions removed to make the cross
fit into its seating.
The inscription read (according to Reverend C V LeGrice) Hic
procumbant corpora piorum.
Then, when the Market House was altered, the Cross was
moved to Morrab Gardens
and later again to Penlee House.
It is now at its proper height, at the top of steps, to
the observer below.
Raymond
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