A Day Trip to Derby - Part 2

A detail of a pilaster on Royal Oak House

Having left Riverside Chambers to continue with my day out in Derby, I soon came across a few interesting historic buildings in Market Place, as well as the renowned Derby Assembly Rooms, which was built 1971-6. 

Royal Oak House on Market Street

On the corner of Tennant Street, Royal Oak House has a curious mix of extremely bold pilasters on the ground floor and first floor frieze, carved in Triassic red sandstone, which contrasts with the brick and half timbered upper floors. 

A frieze sculpture by John Bell on the Guildhall

A little further up, the Guildhall is built in gritstone with a Classical facade and a domed tower rising above it and flanked with frieze sculptures by John Bell, although one was hidden by a section of scaffolding. 

The war memorial in Market Place

Looking across towards the Assembly Rooms, the simple war memorial, dated 1924, is another example of Derbyshire gritstone and, at the west end of Market Place, it is again used at Speakers’ Corner, where a pinkish variety forms the backdrop to an array of comic ceramic faces, made by Timothy Clapcott. 

Derbyshire gritstone behind the ceramic heads at Speakers' Corner

Continuing down Sadler Gate, stone is used mainly for dressings to the historic brick buildings that are prominent on this street and the only stone built facade fronts the Strand Arcade. 

The entrance to the Strand Arcade on Sadler Street

Walking through the arcade to The Strand, the entrance to the arcade here forms part of a continuous range, dated 1882, built in gritstone in the Neoclassical style. From here, I carried on to the end of the street to the Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

A view along The Strand