Queens (Barnstaple)

• Theatre ID
  1740
• Built / Converted
  1855
• Dates of use
  • 1945 - 1950: 1952 continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre
• Address
  Boutport Street, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 1SY, England

Details

The Music Hall formed part of the Corn Exchange, built under Barnstaple’s Markets Scheme in 1855, the large first floor room being so used. In 1897 the hall was redesigned with a stage and organ from Broadgate House, opening as the Albert Hall. The seating was removable for dances. It was used as a concert hall, theatre and cinema. During the Second World War, quantities of food were stored on the ground floor and in 1941 this caught fire and destroyed the interior. A roof was built over the ground floor and it became a British Restaurant for the remainder of the war. A stage was added later, and it was used as a Civic Hall. As part of the Festival of Britain celebrations, it was completely rebuilt internally, the whole forming The Queen’s Hall - a theatre and ballroom. The auditorium had a flat dance floor and a raked balcony with fixed seating. It became the largest municipally owned venue in the South West. Externally the frontage designed by Gould 100 years previously was retained and topped by a modern green-tiled roof. The main entrance doors were given by the architect B W Oliver in commemoration of his Mayoralty (1931-32). A hospitality suite was built and named in memory of the town's famous John Gay. The Queens is an impressive three-storey stucco Italianate building with two storey wings; round arched windows to ground floor; bracketed cornice, all well restored in 1994. The interior is now that of a modern theatre, with permanently tiered seating; the stalls are raked; the walls enlivened with panels of cherry and maple. A new box-office, exhibition area and bar complete the modernisation.

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• Other names
  Music Hall (in Corn Exchange), Albert Hall, Civic Hall, Queens Hall
• Events
  • 1945 - 1950 Use: 1952 continuing
  • 1855 Design/Construction: as corn exchange
    • R G Gould - Architect
  • 1897 Alteration: redecorated and refurbished to form Albert Hall
    • Owen Davis - Architect
  • 1941 Alteration: converted to British restaurant after fire destroyed interior
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1952 Alteration: interior reconstructed as theatre with ballroom; new roof, exterior restored, balcony foyer added with John Gay hospitality suite
    • B W Oliver - Architect
  • 1994 Alteration: interior extensively modernised; insertion of permanent seating, new box-office, bar; new stage facilities, dressing rooms etc.
    • Burrell Foley Fischer - Architect
  • 1952 Design/Construction:
    • Gardiner & Sons & Co Ltd - Consultant: Structural Steelwork
    • The Hall Manufactory Co Ltd - Consultant: Electrical Installation
    • The Stage Electrical Equipment Co Ltd - Consultant: Stage Equipment
  • 1994 Design/Construction:
    • Alan Conisbee Associates - Consultant: Structural Engineers
  • Owner/Management: Local Council
  • 1993 Owner/Management: The Queens Theatre Trust, lessees
• Capacities
  • Original: 1855: 600
  • Later: 1910: 700 1952: 880 1993: 740
  • Current: 688
• Listings
  • Grade II
• Stage type
  • Pros flat
• Dimensions
  • Building dimensions: 1910 auditorium 80ft x 41ft
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 10.6m Width SL: 6.61m SR: 6.61m
  • Proscenium width: 9.14m
  • Height to grid: 10.98 m
  • Orchestra pit: None