The centrepiece of one of Hertfordshire’s most historic market towns, the corn exchange is an impressive and imposing piece of architecture. Built in 1828 by a consortium of local traders, the building was needed to service the fast growing local economy. Primarily a malting town at the time the corn exchange stimulated the grain trade. The mid twentieth Century saw the corn exchange used less and less for it’s original purpose and parts of it were sold off for private commercial use. Today it houses a café, bar, several banks and some of the town council offices.