A VERY early photograph of the historic Market House has just been acquired by a Ross-on-Wye man.

The original photograph, a lantern slide, dates to around 1850s and features a water pump and a large receptacle on a corner of the building along with a gas lamp above it - this was presumably used to allow people to access the water at night.

One of the shops visible through the arches is ‘Davies’ located as part of the John Kyrle House

Earlier depictions of the Market House have been captured by artists over the centuries, but this appears to be one of the earliest photographs.

The lantern slide, which would would be placed in a projector and shone onto a wall. measures 3¼"x 3¼"was distributed by Charles S Farrar from Chicago, Illinois, but only recently came into the possession of Andy Mardle of Brampton Street.

The first photographic lantern slides were invented by the German-born brothers Ernest and Frederick Langenheim in 1848.

This photograph was taken after Thomas Blake had modernised the water system in the town with the provision of four water pumps, one of which was located on the corner of the Market House.

Gas lighting had been installed in Ross around 1835, following the passing of an Act in 1830 for ‘paving, cleaning, draining, lighting, regulating and improving the Town of Ross.

Mr Mardle said that he purchased the slide in America and was immediately taken by its charm and historical importance.

He said he was still trying to accurately date the photograph from the few clues contained within the picture.

He observed that an upturned cart is positioned in a corner of the Market House while an old man is slumped over a home-made walking stick.

He also noted that the Market House is surrounded by compacted earth and stone, which was beginning to show signs of breaking up.