Building record 953/0/75 - Cinema, High Street

The large red-brick cinema erected some time after 1926 and was closed in the 1930's.

{1} The early 20th century cinema was located at 76 High Street. The building was erected some time after 1926 and was closed in the 1930's. The building is crudely made in a mixture of materials (wood and corrugated iron) and has obviously had a number of changes of use. The projecting room remains intact in the building. The structure is currently being used as shoe shop 'Distinctive Footwear Ltd Factory Shop - Footwear for all ages and occasions', but is up for sale. Film 1, photo 26.

{3} The large red-brick cinema is located to the rear of the plot off High Street. The building is of two-storey height. The building is barn-like in construction with few externally distinctive features. The structure must post-date 1926 as it is not visible on any early ordnance survey map. The north wall of the structure has been removed, but the rest of the building remains intact. There are a number of surviving features noted in the building. The owner informs that there were originally wooden seats running diagonally down from the north to the south of the building. There is evidence for this on the interior of the remaining section of the north wall of the building with an indentation in the wall 1.2m from ground height for a raised floor. There is also a diagonal beam visible on the west wall of the structure - clearly structural remains of the stalls. In the centre of the building was an office (2.8m x 2.6m) presumably for the staff of the cinema. On the north wall of this is a small window / hatch (now blocked) with ‘Enquiries’ embossed above and a small ledge / shelf on the interior face. The projecting room on the second storey remains intact with its projecting windows; it is accessed by two very steep stair cases to the east and west of the room, one of which is located in the office and the other leads to the western exterior of the building. The projecting room measured 2.7m x 2.85m and has a square loft entrance and the main projecting windows (40cm x 18cm). There are two triangular sections adjacent to the staircase on either side of the room which were presumably used for storage, although each had a small projecting window. At the south end of the building there remains a large 4-centred arch which is almost the full height of the building; it is assumed that this was the casing for the cinema screen. There is a clearstorey arrangement in the roof which allows light to come in through the roof, it is assumed that this is a later alteration as the cinema would need to block out the light, not allow light to come in.

<1> BALLINGER J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Long Buckby (Industrial), (part checked) (Digital archive). SNN100506.

<2> Foard G.; Ballinger J., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Long Buckby, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101574.

<3> Ballinger J., 2000, Industrial And Modern Buildings, Long Buckby, (checked) (Notes). SNN101320.

<4> Ballinger J., 2000, Industrial And Modern Buildings, Long Buckby, (checked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN101321.

Record last edited

May 19 2022 11:49AM