July 23rd 1857 - A meeting was held at the George Hotel, Stamford. Presided over by Mr James Torkington Esq, to consider the erection of a new Corn Exchange. A motion was passed to build on the site of the Black Swann Inn, opposite Brown’s Hospital.

March 19th 1858 - The Corn Exchange Company announced that the Black Swann Inn had been purchased and the local architect, Edward Browning (1816-82), was engaged to design the building.

January 28th 1859 - The building was completed and opened for business. The construction had been carried out by local builder Henry Bradshaw. The hall was described as handsome, built in the style of Old English Domestic Architecture of the fifteenth century. The stone was of Little Casterton Road Free Stone from the quarries of Messrs Simpson. The roof was three-fourths ribbed glass and supported be bent timber of semicircular form. The Marquis of Exeter contributed £100 to the building fund.

March 7th 1859 - The first Ball was held in the hall be the Ancient Order of Foresters.

March 10th 1863 - This was the year that Edward Browning was Mayor of Stamford. The Corn Exchange was the centre for grand celebrations to commemorate the Marriage of the Prince of Wales to Princess Alexandra of Denmark. As part of the celebrations, a dinner was provided for the men and tea for the ladies. A total of 1300 dinners took place in the Corn Exchange at eleven, twelve and one o’clock. Teas for the ladies took place at four and five o’clock, and approximately 1000 ‘partook of the cup that cheers’.

1900 - This was the year that the hall was also used for the first time as a cinema. Local audiences watched scenes from Transvaal of the Boar War battles. During this time, the Stamford Operatic Society started using the hall for their productions (1905), which were mainly Gilbert and Sullivan shows. They continue to use the hall to this day (under the name Stamford Amateur Musical Society)

August 25th 1913 - The hall was now known as the New Palace of Varieties.

1914-1918 - Only Corn business was carried out during the war years.

December 27th 1920 - Now known as The Electric Cinema. A new ceiling was installed to conceal the glass roof during films. Admission prices were: 5d, 9d, 1/3 and 1/10.

March 1923 - Now renamed The Picture House

March 1924 - Considerable new refitting was carried out, including a new stage and projection equipment.

1926 - The newly formed Stamford Corn Exchange Company Ltd commissioned local architect, F.J.Lenton, to reconstruct the Corn Exchange. The building was extended 10 feet at the rear, and a new proscenium was constructed (23ft x 20ft). The new roof was constructed of steel and glass with shutters to keep out the light for film shows. A new balcony was also erected, adding 200 seats to the auditorium. Unfortunately, the face of the building was not completely restored, due to the cost, and the leaded windows were filled in with mortar and pebbledash.

October 4th 1926 - Lord Burghley, the Marquis of Exeter, opened the building as The New Theatre. August 10th 1927 The hall was yet again renamed as the Picturedrome and continued showing silent films, with the occasional stage production. Corn sales were still held at this time, each Friday. 1930 The first films with sound were shown in the Corn Exchange.

1939-45 - The Hall was closed at the beginning of the war, but after a few days it was realised that theatre and film was a great boost for public morale.

1956 - New regulations concerning the management of cinemas came into force, among which stated that seats and screens must be permanent fixtures. Up until this time, the seats were removed to accommodate the stalls etc. of the corn Market on Fridays. This would not allow the local theatrical groups or merchants to use the building, and with the new home-based entertainment ‘Television’ starting to take over people’s homes, the Picturedrome was closed down.

1957 - A local firm of auctioneers took up the lease of the Corn Exchange. A condition of the lease allowed the local theatrical groups to use the hall for two weeks per year. The Operatic Society continued to use the hall, and Stamford Pantomime Players began to use the venue for their annual Christmas production. Both societies continue to use the hall to this day.

1960-80 - The Corn Market stopped in the late 50’s and the hall continued to be used as an auction room, with two theatrical productions being staged per year.

1988 - The hall was closed as an auction room and was then run as an entertainment centre. Unfortunately, owing to the ill-health of the lease-holder, development of the venue for entertainment was halted.

1990 - The lease was taken up by an antique dealer, and was known primarily as the Antiques Centre. The two theatrical societies still continued to use the venue for their annual productions. The condition of the halls’ interior deteriorated during this period, while the cellars were gradually filling up with abandoned goods left over from sales and auctions.

2000 - The Antique Centre closed. The lease was taken up by a newly formed charitable company, the ‘Corn Exchange Theatre Company’ (CETC), with a view to redevelop the uses of the building and to encourage and support the arts in Stamford. The hall was let on a two year lease to Mr R Bateman, as an auction Saleroom. During this time, the CETC began planning for the refurbishment of the Corn Exchange and to provide a full-time theatre.

2001 - The CETC started clearing out the cellar, with a view to eventually lease it out...Now visit the photo galleries to see the building work that has gone on right up to present day.