Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 07/01/2015

SD 62 NE
4/18

KING WILLIAM STREET
The Cotton Exchange

(Formerly listed as Unit 4 Cinema (formerly the Cotton Exchange))

II
Former Cotton Exchange, later a cinema. 1862-5 by Brakespear of Manchester.
Coursed ashlar with slate roofs. High Victorian Gothic, the design
is incomplete as one wing and the central tower were never built so
the plan is asymmetrical; an octagonal entrance, which was to form
the base of the tower and the northern wing only were constructed.
The twin pointed entrances,in the frontal angle of the 2-storey octagon,
have elaborately carved foliated cusping to the 2-light trefoliated
heads and quatrefoil tracery, set in splayed, perpendicular, traceried,
panelled reveals to the moulded pointed porch, each bay distinguished
by an octagonal plinthed buttress with crenellated apex ogee finial.
A continuous moulded string course divides the 1st from the 2nd storey,
each face of which contains a 3-light perpendicular traceried pointed
opening with hood mould and off-set buttress between each face. The
crenellated parapet is canted on a bossed, coved moulded cornice with
gargoyles to the angles and the octagonal roof has bands of fish-scale
shaped tiles with a flag pole at the apex. The north elevation is
of 2 storeys and 9 bays. Bays 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 have deeply-set square
headed moulded reveals to what were originally shop doors, now glazed
in the 1st storey beneath. 2-light, square-headed cusped and traceried
cross windows alternating with canted bay windows in bays 2, 4, 6,
8, plain below and 6-light square-headed traceried and cusped transomed
and mullioned above. There is a bossed, coved and moulded continuous
hoodmould with gargoyles at the cant points of the bay windows to
a plain, 5-course upper wall crenellated parapet. The north wing
is linked to the octagon entrance by an angled 2-storey bay, the upper
storey fenestrated with a 6-light square-headed, traceried, transomed,
mullioned and cusped window. The interior has been extensively altered
to accommodate 3 cinemas and has not been inspected. Charles Dickens
gave his last public reading here.

Listing NGR: SD6811028290

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• The Cotton Exchange at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q26517193

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2