IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Cornhill Pavement, LINCOLN, LN5 7BT

A new retail development, under construction. It looks somewhat generic and uninspired at the moment, but judgment should be resisted until it is completed. The Corn Exchange, located opposite, certainly looks excellent following its redevelopment.

The commercial development opposite the Corn Exchange appears to be complete. The parasols on the upper terrace seem to largely improve the building's appearance, especially when illuminated at night. The adjacent square has also been re-structured with new benches.

Taken in the early evening, showing the new "Everyman" cinema and restaurants and a highly attractive series of Christmas lights. The concrete benches feature illuminated perforated metal panels, which look delightful.

Construction of the Everyman boutique cinema during redevelopment of the Cornhill area

Viewed from Sincil Street. Developments include the refurbishment of the Corn Exchange (right) into restaurants, and the construction of a large cinema (centre). A new bus station and car park have been constructed nearby.

Hotel opposite Lincoln Central Station

The Barbican Hotel http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1000934 now closed

Part of the Christmas decorations; the entire area looks very attractive in the evening.

Grade II Listed former Corn Exchange. Client for the building was Lincoln Corn Exchange and Market Co. and was built by Kirk of Sleaford to a W A Nicholson design. The foundation stone was laid on 1st September 1847 and opened in April 1848, at a cost of £15,000. Its construction required the removal of a row of properties along the then eastern limit of Cornhill, and a large house on the south side owned by the Swan family. It was enlarged in 1853 by Bellamy & Hardy by extending the west end at a cost of £1,000. It was replaced by a larger Corn Exchange that opened in December 1879 (Image). It was converted in 1882 to 12 small shops either side of a central walkway and a larger shop at east and west ends. In the 1950s it was converted again to 6 larger shops with the walkway on the north side. The basement was Hattons Tea Rooms from the early 1900s until the 1930s. There was an intention to use it as an air raid shelter in 1939 but I don’t know if it ever was, and became used as a store room. Part renovated in 1976 the cellar became the Cornhill Vaults public house until it closed around 2000. Various shops used the arcade over the years but it was unoccupied 2002-2004 until the east end became Waterstones bookshop 2005 to 2021 and Superdry clothing from October 16th 2021. The west end was Wakefields Army Stores for many years in the 1960s and 70s and Santander Bank from 2010. As an example, in 1965 Kelly’s list, in addition to Wakefields, Royal Exchange Assurance Corp.; Motor Union Insurance Co.; Little Shops, childrens outfitters; E Kay Ltd., radio engineers; Green’s Health Foods Ltd.; Lucy & Geoff, hair stylists; Woodheads Ltd., radio, electrical and television engineers. In 1896 among others there were chemical manure manufacturers, hosiers, toy shop, hairdressers, registry office, newspaper and post office telegraphs dept.

Shown on the Padley’s 1842 map it is probably one of the 63 houses built on Elder Lane between 1817 and 1826. It changed to Sincil Street about 1830 (I can’t find Elder or Sincil in 1828 & 1835 directories). Along with 31 it was two properties reportedly altered in 1875 to make a single shop with living accommodation for Matthew Cockerill, architects Bellamy and Hardy. However Cockerill is listed at 31 (no 30a) in 1872. The building reverted to two shops around 1901-1905. The passage in the south gave access to China Place with 6 houses shown on the 1887-8 Town Plan. From directories, occupants of 30A included; 1872-1889 Matthew Cockerill, glass and China dealer – with 31; 1894 Esther Cockerill, glass and China dealer – with 31; 1896-1901 J W Ashley, glass and China dealer – with 31; 1905 Arthur Atkinson, tinsmith; 1909-1919 Jonathan Varty Ltd, grocers; 1965 R W Fullwell, grocer. From 1970s to 80s it was the Australian Boot Co. and then SPCK Bookshop closed around mid 2008 and as far as I can see the building remained empty until about 2017 when it became Candles Charity Boutique. From the 1990s many if not most of the properties on Sincil Street were purchased by Lincolnshire Co-op who in 2016 started a £70m redevelopment of the area that included refurbishment of 30a and 31 that now appears to have reverted to one shop on the ground floor (Seasalt Cornwall clothing and homewares) with external access to the other floors. See Image for a better view in 2023.