CHARTERS
Granted by the Crown
The Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs says about three-quarters of markets in England were created by royal grant. A typical charter granted one market and one fair at the same place.
See the numbersStart
WHAT THE HISTORIANS SAY
Every market day
has a history.
Your weekly market probably began as a royal grant.
From about 1200 the right to hold a market in England was a royal franchise. Most markets were created by charter, many in the thirteenth century, and the buildings around the square tell the rest of the story.
BY CHARTERonce a week
Read your market placeKeep in mind
- A royal grant
- A set weekly day
- A yearly fair
- The shape of a market town
THE SHORT ANSWER
Markets were granted,
then built around.
A market began as a right, not a building.
Three layers show up in most market towns.
CROSSES AND HOUSES
Marking the trading place
Historic England says crosses in market places may have helped to validate transactions. Market houses, with trading below and a meeting room above, emerged around the 14th century.
Read your market place
MARKET HALLS
Iron, glass and stalls
Grand market halls arrived from the late 18th century. Cast-iron roofs in the 19th century allowed bigger buildings with room for more stallholders.
The later marketsA QUICK TOWN CHECK
What can you see
around the square?
Pick a feature from your local market place. The bar shows how far back that kind of feature typically goes, according to Historic England.
Typical dates for each type of feature. Individual buildings vary, so check the National Heritage List entry for a specific one.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
A busy century,
a measured distance.
One figure for when markets were made,
one for how far apart they were meant to be.
57%
Markets created in the thirteenth century
The Gazetteer finds that 57% of markets and 54% of fairs were created in the 13th century, almost all by royal grant. By 1200 only 15% of markets were recorded; by 1300 it was 71%.
CREATION · GAZETTEER OF MARKETS AND FAIRS
6⅔ miles
Mid-13th-century rule of thumb for neighbouring markets
New grants were only valid if they did not harm existing markets. The Gazetteer cites a mid-13th-century rule of thumb of six and two-thirds miles for neighbouring markets.
SPACING · GAZETTEER OF MARKETS AND FAIRS
Not every market lasted. About 72% of places with a market in 1200 were still market towns around 1600, but only 39% of places with a market or grant in 1300.
FOUR WAYS TO EXPLORE
Find the story
of your market.
The records have a clear starting point, and much of the evidence is standing in the square.
Step 1
Look up the Gazetteer
The National Archives calls the Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516 the main starting point for early grants.
Step 2
Check the charter rolls
From 1199 to 1516 royal grants were generally recorded in charters, usually on the Charter rolls; from 1516, mostly on the Patent rolls.
Step 3
Read the buildings
A market cross, a market house, a corn exchange or an iron-roofed hall each points to a different period of trading.
Step 4
Note the market day
A market was usually held once a week on a set day. Only the most significant towns could sustain more than one.
FAIRS AND RIGHTS TODAY
Once a week,
once a year.
A fair was held once a year, tied to a feast or saint's day, and from the 13th century many lasted only two or three days. A market met weekly; before about 1200 many were held on Sunday.
Historic England notes that charters still apply in some parts of England. The National Archives adds that there is no simple register of current market rights, and early grants may have no bearing on rights today.
Questions
Questions on the way
What made a town a market town?
Usually a grant of the right to hold a market. From about 1200 that right was a royal franchise in England, and the Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs says about three-quarters of markets were created by royal grant.
When were most English markets founded?
In the 13th century. The Gazetteer finds 57% of markets and 54% of fairs were created then, almost all by royal grant.
Were markets allowed to be close together?
Grants were conditional on not harming existing markets, and objections were invited. The Gazetteer cites a mid-13th-century rule of thumb of six and two-thirds miles between neighbouring markets.
What is the difference between a market and a fair?
The Gazetteer explains that a market was usually held once a week on a set day, while a fair was held once a year, linked to a feast or saint's day.
Where can I find my town's market charter?
The National Archives suggests starting with the Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516. Grants from 1199 to 1516 are usually on the Charter rolls, and later ones on the Patent rolls.
Destination
Where the facts come from
- Institute of Historical Research: Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516, introduction
- The National Archives: Markets and fairs research guide
- Historic England Blog: The timeless charm of English market towns and halls
- Historic England: List entry 1016321, market cross (reasons for designation)
Updated