Grange Court is a Grade II* listed timber-framed market hall built by John Abel in 1633. It is just off the centre of the ancient town of Leominster in parkland which was once part of the Leominster Priory farm. Following extensive renovation ten years ago, it is now a heritage visitor attraction, free to enter and fully accessible. The foyer houses the cafe. There are excellent interpretation panels detailing the various aspects of its history and we house the exhibition Leominster in Stitches – the wonderful embroidery panels depicting the history of Leominster since its founding in 690. Grange Court is now a community, enterprise and heritage hub with letting rooms and offices, a beautiful walled garden and a knot garden. It also owns the Millennium Green with a community orchard.
The building has had many different functions in its near 400-year life, and every new owner has adapted the building to make it fit for their purpose.
The building originally stood at the top of Broad Street in Leominster and housed the weekly butter market, selling chickens, eggs, and butter. It was then known as the Butter Crosse.
By the mid nineteenth century, the market hall was proving a traffic hazard in the town centre. The building was dismantled and lay in pieces in a builder’s yard until 1859, when the building was bought by John Arkwright (of the spinning jenny family). It was then rebuilt with some modifications on the park known as the Grange and leased to the Moore family.
Grange Court remained a family home until 1939, when Leominster District Council made a compulsory purchase to save it from being dismantled and moved to South Wales to become the gatehouse to St. Donats Castle.
The Borough Council, then the District Council, and later the County Council had offices in Grange Court until 2008, when the redevelopment began to turn it into a Community, Enterprise and Heritage Hub.
Grange Court is licensed to hold Civil Marriage Ceremonies and offers a wonderful setting for the most important day in a couple’s life.
The John Abel room can comfortably sit up to 100 people theatre style, and up to 64 for a sit down lunch or dinner.
The John Abel Room can also be booked for events such as parties, presentations, conferences, celebrations and concerts.