Cambridge Corn Exchange

Cambridge Corn Exchange is a concert venue located in Cambridge, England with a capacity for up to 1849 people. It is also used as an examination hall for students at the University of Cambridge, and hosts the graduation ceremony for Anglia Ruskin University.

The site, on the corner of Wheeler Street and Corn Exchange Street, was earmarked for a new Corn Exchange in 1868 to replace the existing corn exchange on St Andrew's Street to the east. The site was originally the remains of the Priory of Friars Hermits which had been on the site since the Middle Ages. The priory was passed to a museum in New Zealand. The foundation stone was laid by the Mayor in 1874 and the building was opened in 1875. A quarter of a million local bricks were used in various colours. The opening concert was a performance on 9 November by the Coldstream Guards and a local choral society. During the playing of the National Anthem a mistake was made, and angry crowds subsequently attacked the Mayor's house. The resulting trial attracted the world's press and resulted in crowds of sightseers making visits to the building, interfering with the corn trading.

The site was a popular location for events throughout the 20th century. The first Motor Show of many was held in 1898, The venue hosted the London Symphony Orchestra in 1925 and one thousand people were given tea at Tea For a Thousand in 1935. During the 1940s the venue was used to clean and repair rifles by local women. After the war, the venue was popular for boxing, wrestling and roller skating. The floor was usually marked out for badminton matches which were held in the building. A temporary wooden bridge across Wheeler Street was even constructed in the 1950s to join it to the neighbouring Guildhall for balls and other events.

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