Biggar and the House of Fleming

42 BIGGAR AND THE HOUSE OF FLEMING.
Exchange of a more elegant and commodious description. The
site of the old Meal House, with some adjoining ground, and
also the right to levy the market customs, were readily ob-
tained, at a moderate price, from the late Colonel John
Fleming, the proprietor. Plans were procured from David
M'Gibbon, Esq., architect, Edinburgh ; and the execution of
the work was intrusted to Messrs Jack and White, builders,
Edinburgh. The foundation-stone .was laid with masonic
honours on the 24th of August 1860, by W. E. Hope Vere,
Esq. of Craigie Hall and Blackwood, Provincial Grand Master
Mason of the Upper Ward of Clydesdale, assisted by deputa-
tions of masonic brethren from twelve different lodges. The
completion of the building was celebrated by a public dinner,
which took place on Thursday, the 14th of November 18G1,
and was presided over by Sir Edward Colebrooke, Bart.,
M.P., while A. Baillie Cochrane, Esq., M.P., acted as croupier.
At a meeting of the shareholders held a week afterwards — ■
viz., on the 21st November — a code of regulations for con-
ducting the business of the market, along with a table of ad-
mission rates, and market and storage dues, was agreed to, and
the general business of the Exchange was opened in a formal
manner.
The Exchange is a chaste and tasteful building, in the Eli-
zabethan style of architecture, and forms a great ornament to
the street, as will be. observed from the engraving of the High
Street given in this work. A tower springing from the north-
west corner contains a clock, which is of no small use to the
town. The basement storey is devoted to storage purposes ;
and above it is the large hall, lighted from the roof, sixty-
two feet by thirty-five, for the dis])osal of grain and seeds ;
and in the higher part of the front of the building are a spa-
cious committee-room and a consulting-room. Since its opening
it has been largely patronised. On Market days it is well at-
tended by the agriculturists in the surrounding district, and a
very considerable amount of business is transacted, certainly
with much more comfort and satisfaction than in fonner times.
It has also been extensively used for balls, soirees, concerts,
public meetings, dramatic entertainments, &c, and in these
respects has conferred a great boon on the town, in furnishing
facilities for amusement and instruction which it formerly did