Building record 1160/148/1 - Nos.32 & 32A Market Square

Built in the last quarter of the 17th-century and altered in the early 18th-century. Known as Beethoven House, apparently as it was the home of a former organist at All Saints.

{1} Last quarter of C17th, altered early C18th. Ironstone, Welsh slated roof with cornice. 3 storeys, floor bands, plinth. 5 sash windows. No 32 has fine staircase of post-fire (1675) date.

{3}Last quarter of C17th & altered early C18th; ironstone with slate roof; 3 storeys; interior staircase of post-fire date 1675;

{4} Beethoven House, given this name as it was the home of a former organist at All Saints. Ironstone, handsome mid-18th centry Georgian, of four windows and two and a half storeys. In the middle a pretty later 18th-century Gothick oriel. Inside its grand staircase with tough balusters shows that the building is basically post-fire in date.

{6} Photo dated 1990.

{7} Built using cross-bedded and ferruginous Northampton sandstone (Northampton Sand Formation) quarried from Northampton Fields close to the town.

{8} Inside, 18th-century shelving and cupboards present on the gound floor. Possibly an original fireplace on the first floor. A Conveyance of 1883 includes a plan which shows a building in the garden; this building may have been incorporated into the later factory building for Bensons. It also mentions stabling.
Formerly occupied by Mr W Brook Sampson oragnist at All Saints who named it Beethoven House and who, with his wife, ran an academy of music for girls in the late 19th century. By 1949, the building was in a poor condition having been requisitioned in WWII. The building was renovated by Henry Martin Ltd; the original oriel window had perished and a replica was constructed.

{9} - A Heritage Impact Assessment, undertaken by Midland Archaeological Services in 2023, assessed the monument and the surrounding area.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 1+2/77 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H14, p.104 (Catalogue). SNN1000.

<3> Department of the Environment (DoE), 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.104 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN3381.

<4> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 449 (Book). SNN111989.

<5> Undated, 32 and 32A Market Square, Northampton, BF114920 (Archive). SNN113656.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN114989.

<7> King, A, 2023, The Building Stones of England: Northamptonshire, p. 13; https://doi.org/10.5284/1108739 (Report). SNN115160.

<8> Brooke-Taylor, J D A, c1970, The History of No 32 Market Square, Northampton (Manuscript). SNN115161.

<9> Steve Williams, 2023, Heritage Impact Assessment, Beethoven House, 32-32a Market Square, Northampton, NN1 2DQ (Report). SNN115731.

Record last edited

Jul 23 2024 4:07PM