Corn exchanges in England

Corn exchanges were initially held as open markets normally controlled by the town or city authorities.

Other corn exchanges followed with Wisbech (1811),[2] Norwich (1828), Sheffield (1830), Stowmarket (1836), Bury St Edmunds (1837) and Cambridge (1842).

Many of the early corn exchanges, such as Hadleigh and Winchester, were built round quadrangles where the trading took place, but the central area was roofed over at a later date.

As these corn exchanges were rarely operating for more than two hours in a week, the buildings would be let out for many other purposes including public meetings concerts and dances.

[4] With the Great Depression of British Agriculture, which occurred from about 1873 to 1893, the building of new corn exchanges had largely ceased by 1880.

However, the larger centres continued to grow and the corn exchange at Lincoln recorded its busiest trading year in 1924.