The historic Market House is a Grade I Listed Building, constructed to the design of Sir Thomas Tresham in 1577. Tresham gave the Market House as a gift to the townspeople of Rothwell. Tresham was an Elizabethan gentleman, recusant and patriot who vividly commemorated his devotion to the Catholic faith in a series of remarkably idiosyncratic buildings. These include the Market House at Rothwell, the Triangular Lodge at Rushton completed in 1597 and his unfinished summer house, Lyveden New Build, which was started in 1594. All are Grade I Listed Buildings.

The Market House is constructed in Weldon limestone on a cruciform plan. The ground floor area was originally designed to act as an open trading place. The facades are ornamented with two orders of pilasters displaying the trefoils of the Tresham family and bands of oblongs and ovals linked together. The upper storey, which can only be accessed by a spiral staircase, is lighted by typical mullioned and transomed windows. There are two elaborate friezes: the upper one displays seventy coats of arms belonging to friends of Sir Thomas; the lower one, inscribed in Latin, explained that he erected the building as a gift to his neighbouring Town and in gratitude to his country and Northamptonshire.

The Latin inscription reads:
“This was the work of Thomas Tresham, Knight; he did it in gratitude for his beloved country, nation and Northamptonshire and most of all for his neighbouring town. He sought nothing except the common good, nothing but the lasting respect of his friends. He who interprets this gesture wrongly is not worthy of such great benevolence, in the year of Our Lord one thousand, five hundred and seventy-seven.”

Historian and planner, David Lloyd, describes the Market House as one of the early town halls or Market Place or wide street, usually with a single upper storey over an open-arched or columned space at ground level. He compares the Market House to those at Ledbury, Shrewsbury, Tetbury, Faversham, Chipping Camden and Dunster, but emphasises the particular importance of the Market House at Rothwell:

The eminent local architect, John Alfred Gotch, restored the Market House in the last nineteenth century following plans discovered at Rushton Hall – filling in the ground floor arches, creating a more enclosed building.

The Preservation Trust has retained ownership of the Market House. The ground floor now houses local charity ‘Heroes’ that raises money to help the sick, injured and wounded. The first floor is occupied by Rothwell Town Council and the Council Chamber is also used by other local organisations.