The Birth of Manchester’s Corn Exchange
From its beginnings in 1837 to its expansions in the late 19th century.
From its inception in 1837, when the idea of a Corn Exchange in Manchester was born out of necessity, to its remarkable expansions and transformations in the late 19th century, this page will guide you through the milestones and stories that have shaped this iconic structure. Join us as we explore the architectural marvel and uncover the diverse roles this building has played in Manchester’s history, from facilitating corn trade to hosting public meetings and even doubling in size to meet the city’s ever-growing needs.
early 1800’s
Before the first permanent Corn Exchange building was in use, corn was traded at the corn market in a courtyard on Fennel Street.
On this site stood the Dog & Partridge Inn with a bell outside that was rung to open and close the trade of corn. Until this bell was rung, no traders could make any sales or show any corn samples.
(Dog and Partridge Inn, Fennel Street, Manchester. 1819. Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council.)
The merchants attending the market conducted their business in the open street and it was common for buyers and sellers to be attending to business – even on Saturdays – as late as 10 o-clock at night. The suggestion that a covered market should be provided for convenience was met with a ready response.
In the 1830’s several Liverpool merchants purchased property within the area known as Hanging Ditch, with a plan to create the first Corn Exchange building.
The inn became The Douglas Hotel which retained the Corn Market signage and bell. The buildings were knocked down in the 1980’s and the area became home to the iconic Urbis Building which was completed in 2002. In 2012, the building became home to the National Football Museum.
(The Douglas Inn, Fennel Street, Manchester. 1970. Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council.)
1837
A committee was formed and in June 1834 the first meeting took place at the office of Messrs. Samuel Sanders and Sons with the following gentlemen, principal men in the trade, as the committee: Richard Collins, George Sanders, Jos Owens, Wm. Archer, J. Stephenson, James Barratt, Ed. Swanwick, Thos. Swallow, James Bennett and Michael Freeman. The outcome being “That a building to be used for the purpose of a Corn Exchange in the town of Manchester is now necessary”
A ‘Land Wanted’ advertisement was placed in a newspaper with properties in Hanging Ditch chosen from those put forward. This included part of the yard, stables and kitchen of The White Horse Inn, an area of six hundred square yards, plus subsequent buildings either side were purchased to considerably increase this.
The building was designed by architect Richard Lane who was regarded as one of Manchester’s leading architects with a style taken from that of a temple of Ceres on the River Illissus, Athens. It was built at a cost of £3,626 16s. 6d. for land and £4,823 3s. 6d. to build, totalling £8,450. (Equivalent to around £1.2million in 2023)
(Old Corn Exchange, Hanging Ditch, Manchester. c1850. Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council.)
The building was opened in January 1837 following a celebratory dinner with 64 stalls being taken pre-opening and their choice of position decided by ballot.
The building was described in The Handbook of Manchester by B. Love in 1842 as follows: “The Corn Exchange is a pedimented frontispiece, of the iconic order: six columns, the bases of which a e seven feet above the pavement, and the pillars, twenty-one feet in height, support the pediment; the centre is flanked by small wings, divided and ornamented in plasters, between which is an entrance door at each extremity of the front the front work, seen between the columns, is of rustic work, rising about 12′ above the basement beyond, which is of plain stone”
The exchange provided a building for effective contracts of sale in bulk of corn, pulse, grains, seeds, flour, meal, malt and hops with a market held every Tuesday and Thursday until 1853 when several wholesale grocers and provision dealers suggested the use should be extended for their needs. On January 3rd, 1854, the Tuesday market became the Grocery and Produce Exchange and the Corn Market continued Thursday only.
The building was also used as a chapel on Sundays and for various public meetings ranging from protests against enrolment of the national militia and support of the Anti-Corn Law league.
Over time, business grew due to increased use and population growth. Repeated expansions were made in 1856, 1881 and 1891 with the building eventually doubling in size.
The building was ultimately found too small to meet requirements and plans were put in place to create a new Corn Exchange
(Old Corn Exchange, Hanging Ditch, Manchester. 1895. Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council.)
1890 – 1891
In December of 1890 a new company, the Manchester Corn Grocery and Produce Exchange Co. Ltd., was incorporated with shares for the company very much over applied for. Shares were allotted to investors, traders and subscribers to the Exchange. The Corn Exchange was then taken over on the 1st of January, 1891 with possession of the property gained in March.
The last alteration to the building was seen as the beginning of the work to rebuild the premises and the directors resolved to acquire further land to extend the borders to each side of hanging ditch – now known as Exchange Square – Cathedral Street and Fennel Street.
Here we can see ‘The Plan referred to’ detailing the Map of Land Owners and land acquired with the original Corn Exchange property included. All land was purchased, and deeds received in 1892 except for a small plot at the corner of Hanging Ditch and Fennel Street. Next time you visit take a look and you will notice a separate section of the building named ‘Pleer House’ which still sits on this spot today.
It was agreed with the council that portions of land be sold to them, to widen the surrounding streets, with a new building boundary being created.
In the very centre of the land where the Exchange Hall stood and our atrium stands today, were hidden away four small cottages known as Hope and Anchor Court. They were accessed by a passage on Cathedral Street. These tenements were demolished and thus disappeared forever from the map of Manchester.
Architects appointed to design the first stage of the new building on Fennel Street were Messrs. Ball and Elce. The proposed plans were hung on the wall of the existing Exchange building at the time.
(Map of Land Owners, 1891. Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council.)
1892 – 1901
Work began in 1892 on the Fennel Street elevation with the foundation stone being laid on the 10th of February that year by Thomas Walker. The commemorative trowel to mark this occasion has been donated to the Science Museum Group and is inscribed:
On the 10th Day of February 1892 the First Brick of the new buildings of the Manchester Corn Grocery & Produce Exchange Limited was laid with this trowel by Thomas Walker Esquire Barrister at Law of the Inner Temple and Oldfield Cheshire
The first portion of the new premises on Fennel Street were opened in June 1893. The remainder of the building and the roof were then designed by Messrs. Potts, Son, & Hennings with the Cathedral Street block finished in May 1898 and the Hanging Ditch (Exchange Square) side, the location of the original Exchange, being completed in two parts, the first in 1901 and completed in 1903.
(Corn Exchange Commemorative Trowel. © Science Museum Group.)
(Fennel Street, Manchester, 1900. Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council.)
There were many Cheese Factors on Fennel Street during this period with huge rounds of cheese stored on wooden shelves having being rolled down wooden runners in to the basement stores. Reports from this period state that ‘a strong smell of cheese emanated from the cellars below the exchange’
In this 1900 image of Fennel Street we can see the cheeses on delivery wagons. (A special thank you to Bruce Mitchell for sharing knowledge of this period)
