Exchange Square - Middlesbrough, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 54° 34.715 W 001° 14.023
30U E 614161 N 6049331
This public square is in the former main business area of Middlesborough.
Waymark Code: WM16T8G
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/01/2022
Views: 1
In Victorian Times Middlesborough grew rapidly from a mainly small rural community into a heavily industrialised town with iron and steel at its heart.
The square contains a statue of Henry Bolckow, one of the main people who developed the industry and the towns wealth. It was erected in 1881 and celebrated the fact that the helped to develop the Royal Exchange Building, a prominent building designed to promote trade.
The Royal Exchange was demolished in 1985 to make way for a flyover for the A66 to improve traffic flow through the area.
The square has recently been refurbished with new hard paving, seating, lighting and the statue was cleaned.
A number of large heads that were originally on the Royal Exchange have also been used as decoration in the square.
A blue plaque in the square has the following information.
TEES TRANSPORTER TRAIL
ROYAL EXCHANGE
The foundation stone of the Royal
Exchange was laid by Henry Bolckow
on 22nd November 1866. The building
was formall opened on 29th July 1868
and was a centre for the iron market.
The building was demolished in the
1980s to make way for the A66