The Markethall

Cardigan’s Markethall is believed to be the first municipal building in Britain to follow Ruskin’s precepts, as set out in his book ‘The Stones of Venice’ (1854), and has been serving the community since the 1860s. It is very unusual in Victorian architecture; the lower market displays a medieval character of rounded piers and arched vaults, while the upper market has a Middle Eastern influence, as seen in the banded archways around the light well and the building exterior.

Cardigan Building Preservation Trust has over twenty years of experience in conserving historic buildings in the Cardigan area. The Trust successfully completed the £1.3 million restoration of the adjacent Grade ll* Guildhall in 2009, which has been managed by Menter Teifi since 2014. The Markethall is in a poor state of repair and suffers from poor accessibility.

This £1.6m project includes capital works to address urgent roof repairs, level access to the lower ground floor, new stairs and lift access to the upper floor from the rear car park, and new public toilets. The Lower Market will continue to be used by a wide variety of businesses, with improved facilities for more traders. The Upper Market will develop as a Food Court creating a place for visitors and locals to experience ‘a taste of Wales’, offering a shop window for high quality, local produce and crafts. Both floors can provide space for incubator units and ‘pop up’ facilities for developing businesses, including food and drink, crafts, and other commercial services.

The project has received three AHF grants since 2014, including Viability and Development grants that were instrumental in informing the development of the plans and obtaining planning permission and listed building consent. In 2020, a £200,000 loan was awarded from AHF’s Heritage Impact Fund. This is providing cashflow finance during the capital phase of works, which commenced on site in January 2021. The work is expected to be complete by spring 2023, when this Cardigan landmark will once again serve its community.

www.cardigan-guildhall-market.co.uk

Image Credit

Jonathan Pickford

AHF Funding

Cold Spot Grant - £3,000 (2014)

Project Development Grant - £5,000 (2016)

Project Development Grant -  £4,960 (2017)

Heritage Impact Fund Loan - £200,000 (2020)