Malt Cross facts for kids
The Malt Cross is a special building in Nottingham, England. You can find it on St James Street, right in the heart of Nottingham's city centre, not far from the Old Market Square. It was built a long time ago, in 1877, and is one of the few Victorian music halls that are still standing today. For many years, it was a popular café bar where people could enjoy live music.
In 2018, the Malt Cross closed for a short time. But good news! It reopened in September of the same year thanks to a new partnership between its owners and the Nottinghamshire YMCA.
The building gets its name from an old monument called the Malt Cross. This monument used to be in the market square and was a well-known meeting spot. A writer named William Howie Wylie once wrote that a preacher, John Nelson, even gave talks there!
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A Look Back: The Malt Cross History
The Malt Cross building has an interesting past. Before it became the Malt Cross we know today, it was an inn called the Roebuck. In 1877, a man named Mr. Charles Weldon bought the Roebuck. He then rebuilt and made the place much bigger, turning it into the music hall.
Who Ran the Malt Cross?
Mr. Charles Weldon only managed the music hall for a few years. In 1880, he had to give it up. After that, many different people managed the Malt Cross over the years.
For example, Mr. William Hulse was in charge from 1883 to 1889. Then came Mr. E.F. Buxenstein for a year in 1891. Mr. Arthur B. Johnson managed it for a longer time, from 1893 to 1900. Finally, Mr. Lewis Thompson Donkersley took over between 1902 and 1904.
The Amazing Architect of Malt Cross
The person who designed the Malt Cross building as it looks today was Mr. Edwin Hill. He created a truly impressive design.
The Special Roof Design
The most amazing part of Mr. Hill's design is the high, arched glass roof. The wooden arches that hold up the roof are very special. They are made from many layers of wood glued together. The inner arches have ten layers, and the outer ones have twelve.
This layered design allowed the wooden beams to be bent into the perfect curve. It was a clever way to build strong, curved arches without needing lots of nails or bolts. It's thought that the layers are held together just by glue!
See also
- Listed buildings in Nottingham (Bridge ward)
