Markets are more than the buying and selling of goods. They bring together smells, sights, sounds, and the hustle and bustle of people to create a unique experience.
English market towns have rich histories that bridge the past and present.
What was the first market in England?
Archaeological excavations at Colchester in Essex have revealed what may be the oldest market structures in England, dating back to the creation of the Roman town in the 1st century AD.
The Romans established street markets where people could buy and sell goods, which was crucial to Roman towns’ economic and social life (though, as at Colchester, they likely supplanted existing regional pre-Roman markets).
Market towns and royal charters
Many informal trading areas were established in the Saxon period, particularly in ports and other key transport locations or close to early religious or administrative centres.
More market towns emerged in the medieval period and became central points for trade and commerce.
One of England’s oldest outdoor street markets is St Albans’ market, founded by Wulsin, the sixth abbot of St Albans Abbey, in the 9th or 10th century. In 1198, King Richard I recognised the abbey’s market rights in the form of a royal charter.
A royal charter for markets was a document issued by the monarch granting a town, village, monastic house or religious foundation the right to hold regular markets.
In some market towns like Bury St Edmunds and St Albans, the church was more active in town creation than the secular Lords. As a result, the church was granted the market charter. Market charters were often granted to monastic houses, which the monarch had founded as a way for them to increase their revenue through market tolls.
Royal charters began as early as 1066, and from 1199 onwards, royal grants for markets were recorded on charter rolls. However, it doesn’t seem they were fully enforced until at least the 13th century.
In some parts of England, charters continue to be enforced today.
Many English towns are still visited for their vibrant street markets and market halls. Places like Bakewell in Derbyshire, famous for the Bakewell Pudding, St Albans in Hertfordshire, with its medieval architecture and Roman history, and Cirencester in Gloucestershire, a historic Roman town known as the ‘capital of the Cotswolds’.
Market squares
When people think of markets, they often think of large open-air spaces. Many of the markets granted charter status in the medieval period had a market square laid out as part of the planning of the town.
This allowed sufficient space for trading, especially for things like animals. This could be a large rectangular space surrounded by houses, such as the centre of Salisbury, or a place where 2 roads intersect to form a small market area with a characteristic triangular footprint.
Larger towns could have more than 1 market square for different specialist markets or market days, such as the Tuesday and Saturday market places in King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
In some places, large market squares were slowly filled by market stalls, which gradually became permanent shops. In Ely, Cambridgeshire, for example, the current market square is a much smaller remnant of the original market place, which stretched much further to the west.
By the middle of the 20th century, market places and market squares were seen as such an integral element of the English urban streetscape that post-war planners ensured that they included them in the town centre designs of the first phase New Towns such as Harlow, Hemel Hempstead and Corby.
Market crosses
Market crosses in England date back to before the medieval period. They probably originated from the long tradition of standing stones and early preaching crosses that marked places of open-air worship.
In the medieval period, they were built in market squares to signify the importance of the market as a central religious, economic and social hub.
Many examples of market crosses can be found across England, but identifying the oldest is challenging.
The 9th century crosses at Sandbach in Cheshire are a remarkable survival. Puritans tore them down in the 16th century, and many of the fragments were reused in buildings locally. In the early 19th century, the surviving sections were collected and the crosses were placed in the market square.
In the medieval period, market crosses slowly evolved to become more elaborate structures, sometimes incorporating a sheltered area for trading.
The market cross in Castle Combe, Wiltshire, is a well-preserved example of a late medieval market cross, standing in its original position at the centre of the village.
It’s a monument of considerable local importance, reflecting the significance of the cloth industry in the area.
Market houses and moot halls
The market house emerged around the 14th century in England and served multiple purposes.
Some provided a covered area for traders on the ground floor, with a guildhall, town hall or moot hall above, where civic functions, court sessions and public meetings could be held.
Market houses were often a great source of civic pride, and elaborate or expensive buildings were constructed to reflect the town’s wealth.
The 17th century Market House in Ledbury, Herefordshire, ground-floor trading space with a room for meetings above. Its elaborate timber frame was designed to dominate the market area in the town.
One of the earliest known purpose-built moot halls was in St Albans, built in the 14th century. Its second dates from 1570. Both buildings fronted onto the market, and the surviving second moot hall has a large room at first floor level which was almost certainly the location of the court of piepowder.
A court of piepowder was a form of court that had power over markets and fairs in England, including any disputes, violence and thefts. These courts were likely held on the upper floors of the moot hall, market house, or booth hall.
The Yarn Market at Dunster in Somerset is probably England’s most unusual purpose-built market building. It was built in 1609, and Dunster cloth and kerseymere (a fine twilled woollen cloth) were sold there.
Corn exchanges, butter markets and livestock markets
From the 18th century, some larger towns and cities began to split the functions of market houses between separate buildings.
Exchanges originated in the 16th century as a place for business meetings and trading goods. By the 18th century, they were more widely built in towns and often took on some trade elements that would have previously happened in the market.
The first was the Royal Exchange, built by Sir Thomas Gresham in the City of London and opened in 1571 by Queen Elizabeth I. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and was rebuilt before burning down again in 1838. The current building was opened by Queen Victoria in 1844.
Corn exchanges provided merchants, farmers, and traders a location to buy and sell corn and other grains, including wheat, barley and oats.
The first corn exchange in England is generally considered the one in Mark Lane, London, established in 1747 but closed in 1987.
The success of the Mark Lane corn exchange led to the establishment of similar buildings in other towns and cities across England.
More specialist markets for fish, meat and other goods emerged during this period. Butter markets were found in towns in parts of the country with lots of pasture and cattle grazing. As with corn exchanges, butter markets often evolved their own covered buildings. Surviving examples include those in Hereford and Shrewsbury.
In the 19th century, livestock markets were increasingly moved out of towns and given their own sites due to the mess and dirt associated with holding large numbers of animals, but also to remove obstructions to traffic.
These were moved to large open areas on the edge of towns. Often, they were relocated near railway stations to take advantage of new transport links.
Sometimes livestock markets only had temporary stalling, which was put up on market days and removed afterwards. Others had permanent buildings, such as auctioneer’s offices or rings.
Market halls: 19th century architectural gems
One of the enduring symbols of English market towns is the market hall, which emerged in the late 18th century. Like the earlier market houses, these provided covered spaces for selling goods but were built on a much grander scale.
In the 19th century, new structural technologies allowed for larger buildings with cast iron roofs, like those used in railway stations in the same period. This allowed for greater numbers of stall holders housed within the covered buildings.
These architectural gems are often adorned with intricate designs and elaborate facades. They have sometimes stood witness to centuries of commerce in towns across England.
Along with their open spaces, market halls often have glass roofs, which allow natural light to filter in, creating an inviting atmosphere for traders and shoppers alike. They often provided permanent or semi-permanent stalls within.
The first of the massive market halls is thought to be the now demolished St John’s Market in Liverpool, built in 1822, which became a model for Victorian markets.
Manchester’s Smithfield Market, part of which survives, was once the largest covered market in the country.
Market halls continued to be built into the 20th century. For example, the Grade II listed Brixton Markets symbolise the significant social and cultural impact of the Black Caribbean community in post-war Britain.
Brixton Markets continues to play an important role as a social and commercial hub for the Black Caribbean community in south London and beyond.
Farmers’ markets
More recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in farmers’ markets as part of a movement toward supporting local agriculture and promoting sustainability.
While the historical roots of farmers’ markets go back centuries, when people would buy goods directly from farmers, the contemporary emphasis on local, seasonal, and artisanal products is something that has emerged in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Christmas markets
Markets during the Christmas season emerged in the German-speaking regions of Europe around the 14th century.
However, the tradition of Christmas markets in England is relatively recent, only becoming common in the late 20th century. They are often held in traditional market squares.
Manchester Christmas Market is one of the largest and most famous Christmas markets in England.
Keeping it traditional
In an age dominated by online shopping and supermarkets, the resilience of traditional English markets is a testament to their enduring appeal.
The unique appeal of locally sourced produce and sense of community continues to draw both locals and visitors.
The Victorian market in Fleetwood, Lancashire, has undergone a significant refurbishment in recent years as part of the town’s High Street Heritage Action Zone programme, helping to secure this historic building for decades to come.
Watch our film to find out more about saving this traditional market.
Further reading
- Commerce and Exchange Buildings: Listing Selection Guide
- Gazetteer of markets and fairs in England and Wales to 1516
- A Brief Introduction to Boston, Lincolnshire
A brilliant article and pictures
A joy to read.
Mary
I love the old picture of the Yarn Market place, note the old mark stones to its left, I wonder if they are still there? This or one of them could be the original ‘mark stone’ from prehistory.