The building was commissioned by the
Earl of Moira, whose seat was at Moira Castle, as a covered market for the local people. It was designed in the
neoclassical style, built in
rubble masonry and was completed in 1795. The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with four bays facing onto the Market Square; it was arcaded on the ground floor, so that markets could be held, with an assembly room on the first floor. There were four irregular openings with on the ground floor and four
sash windows with
window cills on the first floor. At roof level, there was a
parapet, a central
pediment and
pinnacles at each end. Munro was subsequently taken to
Lisburn where he was tried and hanged. In 1802, the building, together with much of the town, was acquired by David Ker, who came to Ballynahinch to "take the waters" from the local medicinal springs. By the 1830s, the building had become dilapidated; it was refurbished in 1841, when a central
cupola, in the form of eight columns on a square base supporting a
dome, was installed on the roof and a clock, made by James Scott and Sons, was installed in the central pediment. and it was also used as a classroom for lessons in science and technology in the late 19th century. McCoubrey converted the ground floor of the building for retail use and the first floor for use as a working men's club. In 1957, he replaced the cupola with a small
pyramid-shaped
spire and he subsequently infilled the openings at the front of the building with glazing.
Down District Council then acquired the building for use as a community events venue in August 2010. ==References==