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Summary

Former location of a renowned Georgian theatre, demolished by 1979

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II): ø 2/46 Old Theatre DEMOLISHED
  Built 1802. Red brick and brick and timber. Remains of painted ceiling with conventional scroll decoration; this ceiling is now covered temporarily with canvas screening. History: See Money, W. Hist. of Newbury (1887), 378. Kemble (D.N.B.) and Edmund Kean (D.N.B) Mrs. Kemble (D.N.B.) and Mrs. Jordan (D.N.B.) and others, well known, acted here.

Monument Type(s):

• THEATRE (19th century to Late 20th century - 1802 AD to 1975 AD?)

Full Description

The Pelican theatre was built in 1802 of brick and timber, and used by many famous actors during the coaching era of Speenhamland's history. The building had already lost its importance by 1905, when little but the outer shell remained <2>. It is not identified either as a theatre on the late 19th century Town Plan <6>.

It was used later as a workshop, auction mart, stores <11> and even a cow shed, and was described as being in a poor state in 1973 in the Borough Museum guide <4>, although its decorated ceiling had survived until at least the mid 20th century when noted by Betjeman <3>. It was demolished at sometime in the 1970s (unknown exact date, but prior to 1979 <5>) despite being listed at Grade II <9>. There are several exterior and interior photographs of the old theatre taken in 1972 by the Royal Commission on Historic Monuments in the England's Places red boxes <12>, including some of its painted ceiling.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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