MARKETS AND FAIRS
1.1 From the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, the holding of a Market was a privilege needing Royal permission. Of course, a great deal of unofficial trading still went on, but the traders could get into a lot of trouble if caught. In 2015, Loughborough Market and Fair became 794 years old and the oldest in the Charnwood Area. The nearest other market at the time was at Melton, which is much older, being mentioned in Domesday Book in 1086. Other Charnwood villages which went on to receive charters later include Mountsorrel in 04
1292 and Wymeswold in 1337.
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1.2 The earliest reference to Loughborough Market is in the Royal Charter of 1221. This was issued to Hugh Despenser, Lord of the Manor of Loughborough by King Henry III. At that time, the King was ruling as a minor, so the 1221 Charter is legally only an interim permission, needing later confirmation when the King was an adult.
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THE LOUGHBOROUGH MARKE AND FAIR CHARTER OF 1221
ET
2.1 "Of
The
Market
of
Loughborough. The Lord the King grants to Hugh Despenser that he have until his (lawful) age, one Market every week on Thursday at his Manor of Loughborough... And the Sheriff of Leicestershire is ordered to cause him to have that market... Witness... at the Tower of London, 22nd day of 10
January"
"Of the Fair of Loughborough. The Lord the King grants to Hugh le Despenser that he have until the (lawful) age of the Lord the King one fair at his manor of Loughborough every year in the Vigil and in the Day of St Peter ad Vincula* and the Sheriff of Leicestershire is ordered to cause him to have that fair. Witness... at Westminster, 27th day of January in the fifth year of our reign" (*The "Vigil and Day of St Peter ad Vincula" was July 31st and August 1st) Luckily, the King did not change his mind when he reached adulthood and confirmed these charters in a much more specific and elaborate document in 1227.
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TH
HE LOUGHBOROUGH MARKET AND FAIR CHARTER OF 1227
3.1 "Henry, by the Grace of God... Know that we have granted to our beloved subject Hugh Despenser that he and his heirs have and hold for ever, one market every week on Thursday at his Manor of Lugteburgh (sic) and that they have there one fair every year for three days duration in the day and in the morrow of St Peter ad Vinculpa".
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3.2 All of the rental income and So the fair had gained an
benefits of the market went
extra day. The next year, in
straight to the Lord of the
1228, Loughborough was
Manor of Loughborough, in
given permission to hold a
this case, Hugh le Despenser.
second fair on November 2nd.
He was a favourite of Henry
There was later considerable
III and fought with Simon
confusion over the correct date
de Montfort at the Battle of
due to the change from the
Evesham. In 1232, he was also
Julian to Gregorian calendar
given the estate of Beaumanor.
in 1752, when eleven days
He was probably not actually
were seemingly "lost". This
in Loughborough very often
was sorted out by an order
and the town would have been
obtained by the Local Board
run by an appointed bailiff.
of Health in 1881, officially
When the Despensers fell
altering the opening day
from power in the fourteenth
to the second Thursday in
century, the titles and lands of
November. Sections of the
Loughborough Lordship were
1221 Charter are still read out
given to the Beaumont family.
by the Mayor of Charnwood
Later still, the title and benefits
from the balcony of the Town
went to the Earl of Huntingdon.
Hall at the official opening of
The first annual value of the
the November Fair.
markets and fairs was ÂŁ5.00.
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LOUGHBOROUGH MARKET
4.1 In it's earliest years, the Loughborough Market was probably held in the church or churchyard but there is little evidence either way. If this did happen in Loughborough, it moved very early in it's life to what is recorded as "an open area, west of the London Road". In other words, just where it is now.
4.2 Until the 16th century, market affairs were dominated by the Medieval Trade Guilds, who fixed prices and maintained standards. The Guilds held an annual processional pageant in the town, ending in the Market Place with performances of Miracle Plays at the Market Cross. The site of the original Guildhall Of St George's Guild in the Market Place is thought to have been on the site now occupied by Boots the Chemist.
4.3 One of the main items sold at the early market was wool. Merchants came here to trade from great distances - not only from London but also France. A "branch" of the Wool Merchants of the Staple of Calais was based at the Market. There is a record of one London Merchant who was robbed and murdered in 1322 when on his way back from Loughborough Market. Although four men from Quorn, Rothley and Cropston were strongly suspected, they were never convicted.
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4.4 Courts were usually held to coincide with fair and market days and in 1688 a special Court Leet Chamber was built
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to house them. This was at
The Market Place also had
what is now the Town Hall
"orchards, gardens and
end of Market Street. As well
barns" and the Manor Fish
as the open stalls, buildings
Pool was to be found at one
began to spring up around
end of the Market Place.
the market place. Most were
The Town Cross was set up
timber frames, with brick only
in the Market Place in the
appearing in the 15th century.
15th Century. Early traders
Booths were also common,
included several names which
each of which could contain
were to become famous later.
several covered stalls. These
These included the draper
were the forerunners of shops
and tailor Thomas Burton,
and provided the stall holders
the founder of Loughborough
with shelter from the weather
Grammar School and Robert
and a stool to sit on - rather
Le Baxterre, who, according to
better conditions than they get
some sources, may have given
today!
his name to Baxter Gate.
4.5 By the early 1600s, there were two more Inns on the Market Place - "The Blackamoor's Head" and "The Plough Inn". Toll disputes were by now a regular occurrence and changes were always proclaimed in the Market Place. The biggest protest concerned market tolls from tenants of the Duchy of
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Lancaster or, rather, the lack
During the Civil War of the
of them. Many Charnwood
1640s, Colonel Henry Hastings
villages were inside the Duchy
proclaimed the first of the
but Loughborough itself was
King's Commissions in the
not. Duchy tenants did not
Market Place before leading
have to pay tolls to sell at
an attack on Leicester. Other
markets outside the Duchy but
than that, the Market Place was
non tenants did. The effect
not greatly affected other than
of this was stall holders who
as a place to exchange news.
lived in Loughborough had
In fact, with Loughborough
to pay market tolls, whereas
changing hands several times
many from outside the town
during the war and the Market
did not. This was an ongoing
Place being used as a place
source of resentment amongst
to muster soldiers, the stall
Loughborough traders for a
holders probably did rather
long time.
well out of it.
4.6 In the 18th century, markets became more frequent, due to the rising population of the area. The Stocks were still standing. More and more building was taking place around the Market Place, demonstrating its growing importance as a centre of business and trade. Robert Bakewell of Dishley became a regular visitor, showing off his revolutionary new breeds of 28
farm animal.
4.7 By the end of the nineteenth century, there were in effect several different markets and fairs operating in Loughborough: (1) THE RETAIL FAIR: The retail market had now expanded into Devonshire Square. Stalls selling similar produce tended to group together - possibly to keep a close eye on the opposition! For example, all the meat stalls were at the north end of the market, by what is now the A6 - exactly where they are today.
(5) THE HIRING FAIR: Also called the Statits Fair held on Statits Day (usually the first (2) THE CORN FAIR:
day of the Fair). This name
Held inside since the building
is a corruption of the phrase
of the Corn Exchange.
"Statutes Fair" and was for farm workers to hire themselves
(3) THE BUTTER, EGG AND
out to landowners for the
CHEESE FAIR:
forthcoming year. In fact, they
Still held regularly, despite the
were hired for "One Year Less
loss of the Butter Cross.
One Day". This is because after one year of residency,
(4) THE CATTLE FAIR:
the worker would be classed
This became a totally separate
as "settled" and, under the
event in the 1880s. When the
Poor Law, would become the
fair was on, the cattle market
responsibility of the Parish if
decamped to fields off Derby
he became destitute. In effect,
Road. Most shops near the
length of hiring meant workers
Cattle Market used to board
could be sacked at the end
up their windows when the
of their contract without the
market was on to prevent
parish becoming responsible
damage.
for them. (Plus ca change...!)
(6) THE PLEASURE FAIR: The opening of the fair now coincided with the annual Mayor making Ceremony. The
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first duty of the new Mayor
A conjuror was attempting
was to read the proclamation
to make a duck magically
from the Town Hall balcony
appear from a top hat, when
and declare the fair open. The
said duck decided to escape
Annual fair was one of the first
and ran off round the market
places where people could
place. The entire audience
see the latest entertainment
poured out of the tent and
revolution - films! As well as
chased the offending bird
the usual "carousel" rides
until it was caught behind
there were ghost shows, helter
the Town Hall. Children in the
skelters, marionettes, boxing
audience declared it was by
booths and the ubiquitous
far the best part of the show
"freak" shows. One "strong
and were very disappointed
man" was caught out when he
when next time the trick
was spotted running to catch
worked! Then as now, the fair
a train with his supposedly
has to be completely clear of
immensely heavy dumb bells
the Market Place by dawn on
tucked effortlessly under his
the Sunday morning. Later in
arms! One of the best bits of
the morning the Mayor held
entertainment in one 1890s
a traditional procession to
fair came about by accident.
Church.
4.8 In the 1920s, the Market Place became a popular venue for religious meetings of all kinds, especially with the Salvation Army and the Mormons. Several times in the 1920s, the November Fair stayed on for the Monday and donated the whole day's profits to the Loughborough Hospital. But one year, an informer threatened to sue the council for breach of charter if it happened again. The Council, who had admirably turned a blind eye up until now, reluctantly had to bow to the blackmail and stop the Monday Fair. No-one ever discovered who the informer was and the Hospital lost a substantial annual boost to its funds. A family sized joint of beef could be bought on the 34
market at this time for 2/6d!
During World War II, the Home Guard paraded in the Market Place regularly. In 1996, for the first time, part of the A6 at the end of the Market Place was closed off for the week of the fair. This made the whole of the Fair traffic free and therefore much safer. One custom which is still as magical as ever is the way the fair melts away by dawn on Sunday morning. It is still fascinating to watch the amazing professionalism of the showmen and women as the fair swiftly disappears back into the night - and they always manage to be clear by the traditional time! It can almost be as enthralling as the fair itself!
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LOUGH
HBOROUGH MARKETS TODAY
(2) LOUGHBOROUGH VINTAGE MARKET: Loughborough Vintage Market is held each Friday in the Market Place from approximately 8:00am to
5.1
3:30pm (1) LOUGHBOROUGH RETAIL
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MARKET:
About 44 traders will be
Loughborough Retail Markets
in attendance and offer a
are held in the Market Place
selection of books, antiques,
and adjacent streets in
second-hand and collector’s
Loughborough town centre
items. In addition, members
every Thursday and Saturday,
of the public can sell their
between 7:00am and 5:00pm.
unwanted household items
A variety of fresh produce,
at this popular market. It
clothing, household essentials,
is a wonderful experience
luxury goods and many other
for many people to pass
products are sold by roughly
away time browsing through
125 traders. Most of the goods
those interesting items and
are excellent in quality and
watching out for some unique
reasonable in price.
collections.
(3) FARMER'S MARKET: Loughborough Farmer’s Market is usually held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month between 9:00 and 3:00 (except for November because of the Loughborough Street Fair). The market features producers from across the Midlands coming to sell various healthy and organic food including
(4) SHEPSHED MARKET:
meat, bread, vegetables,
Just outside Loughborough,
fruit, cheeses, honey,
Shepshed Market is held every
eggs, homemade sauces
Friday between 7:00am and
and preserves as well as
4:00pm in Hallcroft next to
therapeutic products, etc.
the public library and the Co-
Usually around 20 traders will
operative Store.
attend this market depending on the season. They are willing
A variety of traders are in
to share their knowledge about
attendance to sell vegetables
the specialised products they
and fruit, greetings cards and
sell, tell stories about how they
gift wrap and ladies' clothing.
grow or rear them and also
It’s also an opportunity for
give advice about the best way
charities to raise funds by
to cook them to customers.
having a stall to sell goods.
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Loughborough Market today is playing a more and more important role in people’s lives as well as being a centre of business and trade in the town. The Market Place is not only a place for local people to look for daily necessities, but also an occasion for communication, interaction, and social life. We sincerely hope that better things continue to occur in the Loughborough Market, bringing the town more vitality and prosperity.
Charnwood Arts 27 Granby Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3DU ICID,NCKU No.1, University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Original Text Collected By Terry Allen for PMP 2000 Additional Text By Yi-Ping Zhan Editor Yi Yang
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Institu te
Photography by Jian-Sheng Sun/ Ting-An Lin/ Yi-Ping Zhan/ Yi Yang
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