Chesham Market and Corn Exchange

The Market Hall is first mentioned in the Chesham 1679 Quarter Sessions and the clock tower with the distinctive dome and lantern can be seen in the Chesham Town Picture. The picture was painted in about 1760, a copy of the Town Picture can be seen in the entrance lobby of the Town Hall.

The upper floor of the Market Hall was used for courts, public meetings and concerts and also later as one of the first cinemas in Chesham. The ground floor was originally left open for the use of market traders and the Corn Exchange, but at a later date was enclosed and later still used as a shop.

The original Hall was enlarged in 1856 by the first Lord Chesham and the upper floor was used for some time by the Urban District Council and became known locally as the Town Hall, but it was never that officially and was always in private ownership.

During the Second World War it was used as the ARP Centre and a factory and continued to be used as a factory after the war. The building slowly fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1965 for road improvements in Chesham Town Centre.

The clock, bell and lantern were saved and the clock tower was rebuilt with the original clock and lantern in 1992 in Market Square. The bell, which was originally cast in 1748, was added in 2014 following a campaign led by Stirling Maguire and is now known as the Stirling Bell.