Home > Lincolnshire > Lincoln > Cornhill Vaults Cornhill Vaults

The Cornhill Vaults was situated on Cornhill. This grade-II listed pub opened in 1976 and closed in January 2002.

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. 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 it became used as a store room. Part renovated in 1976 the cellar became the Cornhill Vaults public house until it closed around 2002. 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

Steve Turner (January 2022))

Listed building details:

Former Corn Exchange, now shops and public house. West range 1847, by WA Nicholson. East range 1878-80 by Bellamy & Hardy. Converted mid C20. Ashlar and gault brick, with stone dressings and slate roofs, that to the west range hipped. EXTERIOR: west range, Classical Revival style, 2 storeys, 5 x 3 bays. Rusticated basement, string courses, angle pilasters, modillion cornice. Projecting centre has a 3 bay Corinthian portico under a pediment, covering three 12-pane sashes with smaller glazing bar sashes above them. Beyond, on either side, a 12-pane sash with projecting surround and cornice on brackets. Below, 3 reglazed round arched openings with voussoirs. Beyond, single large flat headed doorways. Returns have three 12-pane sashes with projecting surrounds and cornices on brackets. Below, on each side, 2 openings, 3 of them altered. East range, 2 storeys, 3 x 5 bays. Rusticated basement, painted brick, major and minor cornices, coped parapet. Bays are divided by pilasters. Rounded east end has 3 reglazed tripartite windows with stone mullions. Below, a central glazed door with sidelights, flanked by reglazed 3-light wooden framed cross casements. Curved return angles have a single light reglazed window and below, a doorway to right and a reglazed window to left. Returns have 5 reglazed tripartite windows with stone mullions. Below, right return has 5 openings to an arcade. Left return has 5 reglazed 3-light wooden framed cross casements.

Do you have any anecdotes, historical information, updates or photos of this pub? Become a contributor by submitting them here. Like this site? Follow us on Make email contact with other ex-customers and landlords of this pub by adding your details to this page.