MARKETS AND FAIRS

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 2000, Loughborough Market and Fair became 779 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 1292 and WYMESWOLD in 1337.

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.

THE LOUGHBOROUGH MARKET AND FAIR CHARTER OF 1221:
"Of The Market of LOUGHBOROUGH.
The Lord the King grants to Hugh Dispenser 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 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.

THE LOUGHBOROUGH MARKET AND FAIR CHARTER OF 1227:
"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 Vincula".

So the fair had gained an extra day. The next year, in 1228, Loughborough was given permission to hold a second fair on November 2nd. There was later considerable confusion over the correct date due to the change from the Julian to Gregorian calendar in 1752, when eleven days were seemingly "lost". This was sorted out by an order obtained by the Local Board of Health in 1881, officially altering the opening day to the second Thursday in November. Sections of the 1221 Charter are still read out by the Mayor of Charnwood from the balcony of the Town Hall at the official opening of the November Fair.

All of the rental income and benefits of the market went straight to the Lord of the Manor of Loughborough, in this case, HUGH LE DESPENSER. He was a favourite of Henry III and fought with Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham. In 1232, he was also given the estate of BEAUMANOR. He was probably not actually in Loughborough very often and the town would have been run by an appointed bailiff. When the Despensers fell from power in the fourteenth century, the titles and lands of Loughborough Lordship were given to the Beaumont family. Later still, the title and benefits went to the Earl of Huntingdon. The first annual value of the markets and fairs was £5.00.

LOUGHBOROUGH MARKET:
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.

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.

One of the main items sold at the early market was wool. Merchants came here to trade from as 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.

COURTS were usually held to coincide with fair and market days and in 1688 a special COURT LEET CHAMBER was built to house them. This was at what is now the TOWN HALL end of MARKET STREET. As well as the open stalls, buildings began to spring up around the market place. Most were timber frames, with brick only appearing in the 15th century. BOOTHS were also common, each of which could contain several covered stalls. These were the forerunners of shops and provided the stall holders with shelter from the weather and a stool to sit on - rather better conditions than they get today!

The Market Place also had "orchards, gardens and barns" and the MANOR FISH POOL was to be found at one end of the Market Place. The TOWN CROSS was set up in the Market Place in the 15th Century. Early traders included several names which were to become famous later. These included the draper and tailor THOMAS BURTON, the founder of LOUGHBOROUGH GRAMMAR SCHOOL and ROBERT LE BAXTERRE, who, according to some sources, may have given his name to BAXTER GATE.

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 Lancaster or, rather, the lack of them. Many Charnwood villages were inside the Duchy but Loughborough itself was not. Duchy tenants did not have to pay tolls to sell at markets outside the Duchy but non tenants did. The effect of this was stall holders who lived in LOUGHBOROUGH had to pay market tolls, whereas many from outside the town did not. This was an ongoing source of resentment amongst LOUGHBOROUGH traders for a long time.

During the Civil War of the 1640s, COLONEL HENRY HASTINGS proclaimed the first of the King's Commissions in the Market Place before leading an attack on Leicester. Other than that, the Market Place was not greatly affected other than as a place to exchange news. In fact, with Loughborough changing hands several times during the war and the Market Place being used as a place to muster soldiers, the stall holders probably did rather well out of it.

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 farm animal.

By the end of the nineteenth century, there were in effect several different markets in 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.

(2) THE CORN FAIR:
Held inside since the building of the Corn Exchange

(3) THE BUTTER, EGG AND CHEESE FAIR:
Still held regularly, despite the loss of the Butter Cross.

(4) THE CATTLE FAIR:
This became a totally separate event in the 1880s. When the fair was on, the cattle market decamped to fields off Derby Road. Most shops near the Cattle Market used to board up their windows when the market was on to prevent damage.

(5) THE HIRING FAIR:
Also called the STATITS FAIR, held on STATITS DAY (usually the first day of the Fair). This name is a corruption of the phrase "STATUTES FAIR" and was for farm workers to hire themselves out to landowners for the forthcoming year. In fact, they were hired for "One Year Less One Day". This is because after one year of residency, the worker would be classed as "settled" and, under the Poor Law, would become the responsibility of the Parish if he became destitute. In effect, length of hiring meant workers could be sacked at the end of their contract without the parish becoming responsible for them. (Plus ca change.....!)

(6) THE PLEASURE FAIR:
The opening of the fair now coincided with the annual Mayor making Ceremony. The first duty of the new Mayor was to read the proclamation from the Town Hall balcony and declare the fair open. The Annual fair was one of the first places where people could see the latest entertainment revolution - films! As well as the usual "carousel" rides there were ghost shows, helter skelters, marionettes, boxing booths and the ubiquitous "freak" shows. One "strong man" was caught out when he was spotted running to catch a train with his supposedly immensely heavy dumb bells tucked effortlessly under his arms! One of the best bits of entertainment in one 1890s fair came about by accident. A conjuror was attempting to make a duck magically appear from a top hat, when said duck decided to escape and ran off round the market place. The entire audience poured out of the tent and chased the offending bird until it was caught behind the Town Hall. Children in the audience declared it was by far the best part of the show and were very disappointed when next time the trick worked! Then as now, the fair has to be completely clear of the Market Place by dawn on the Sunday morning. Later in the morning the Mayor held a traditional procession to Church.

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 market at this time for 2/6d (13p)!

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!

LOUGHBOROUGH MARKET AND FAIR - A TIME-LINE:
1322: Robert of London is murdered by robbers on his way back to Leicester from LOUGHBOROUGH market. The culprits escape justice.

1389: The heretic WILLIAM DE SWYNDERBY preaches in the Market Place, probably as part of a penance to recant his views.

1469: Market Tolls for the year totalled £5/9/10d (just under £5.50)

1486: A chronicler notes that "the stokks and prisonnes wer reasonabley fylled with Harlatts and Vagabounds".

1547: During the reign if Henry VIII, an Act of Confiscation deprived the Guilds of much of their wealth and power and their influence declined.

1559: The Market Place now housed a PILLORY, STOCKS (next to the Market Cross) and a DUCKING STOOL (later moved to the River Soar). The Loughborough GALLOWS was also visible from here. The "SIGN OF THE GEORGE" Inn was to be found just inside the Market Place on what is now Swan Street. Three Butcher's shops in the Market Place were in such bad repair that no rent could be collected for them. They became known as "THE SHAMBLES".

1564: Loughborough now had approximately 256 HOUSEHOLDS.

1644: The BATTLE OF COTES BRIDGE took place in March of this year. The Royalist soldiers marched out to battle through the Market Place from their headquarters at BURLEIGH HOUSE. The effect was rather spoilt, however, when they were chased back through it the next day by the Parliamentary forces!

1645: CHARLES I reputedly reviewed his troops in the Market Place.

1677: A second Fair was granted to the EARL OF HUNTINGDON, who was now Lord of the Manor of Loughborough. This was to be held on the Tuesday preceding Palm Sunday and the Second Tuesday after Easter Sunday "with liberty to sell horses and cattle there on the first six Thursdays after Christmas". In other words, it was a proper, regular cattle market.

1688: The COURT LEET CHAMBER was built on the site of THE SHAMBLES. This was a large room on massive wooden pillars over an open space where butchers slaughtered cattle and sheep. This chamber was the meeting place for local government - a sort of early Council Chamber - and it was also used as a ballroom and theatre. Records show that in 1746 comedians could make up to £30 a night performing here! Near to the COURT CHAMBER was the "BLACK HOLE", a small prison used for vagrants or the drunk and disorderly, of which there quite a number on market days! The road where this was located was still shown on a map of 1837 as "DARK HOLE STREET": today, it is the passage which runs by the side of the SOMERFIELD SUPERMARKET linking MARKET STREET with GRANBY STREET.

1702: This year saw the first recorded CORONATION (that of QUEEN ANNE) being celebrated in the Market Place. Such celebrations had probably happened before this and certainly happened for every subsequent coronation.

1735: On the last day of July this year, there was a disastrous flood in the Market Place. A later description of this says it was: "exceedingly alarming, in consequence of a heavy storm of rain, thunder and lightening which continued in the space of six hours. Near the Cross, in the market place, the waters were upward of a yard high; and the consequence would have proved fatal to some, had it not been for the breaking down of a garden wall". Floods would continue to plague the market place for almost another century.

1742: THE MARKET CROSS was replaced with the BUTTER AND HEN CROSS, so called because that is what was sold there - mainly by women. It had an octagonal slate roof, supported by eight brick pillars and had a weather vane on the top. The effect would have been very like the still surviving Butter Cross in Mountsorrel. After the cross was demolished in 1828, the weather vane, which was once topped with an Earl's Coronet, became part of CLEMERSON'S STORES.

1753: Violent opposition to non-conformity followed when General Baptist ministers preached in the Market Place.

1770+2: JOHN WESLEY, the founder of the Methodists, preached to large crowds in the Market Place in these years.

1812: The radical orator MAJOR CARTWRIGHT addressed a crowd of 600 in the Market Place, agitating for Parliamentary reform.

1812-16: During the LUDDITE RIOTS, the DEVONSHIRE MILITIA was quartered in the town (hence the naming of DEVONSHIRE SQUARE). Their commander offered to supply the labour to pave the Market Place. This was paid for by public subscription and went a long way to alleviate the flooding problems which had beleaguered the MARKET PLACE for centuries. The paved area was subsequently enlarged in 1828. 1816: A LUDDITE RAID on Heathcote and Boden's Mill started from the Market Place in June of this year, probably the last such raid in the country. The mill was located on Mill Street (now Market Street) and the raiders had much local sympathy.

1818: The Lordship of Loughborough was sold by the HUNTINGDON family to THOMAS DENNING, who almost immediately sold it on to the CRADDOCK family.

1828: The BUTTER AND HEN CROSS was taken down this year, as was "HUCKSTERS ROW", a group of extremely dilapidated, ancient cottages on the MARKET PLACE. It is unknown when these cottages were built but they were situated at the HIGH STREET end of the MARKET PLACE.

1830s/40s: There were many disturbances in the Market Place during this period of CHARTIST activity. The Chartists sought to redress the 1832 Reform Act's exclusion of the working class from the franchise.

1848: At the culmination of the Chartist protests, crowds of 4,000 were a regular thing in the Market Place. Chartist leader FEARGUS O'CONNOR was invited to speak there but the authorities were worried about possible riots. This was the year of revolts throughout Europe and they didn't want the same thing happening in Loughborough. The magistrates called in the Dragoon Guards, Yeomanry and a company of the 87th Infantry Regiment to keep order. Special Constables detained O'Connor at the station, much to the crowds anger. Order was restored (just!) by local Chartists leader JOHN SKEFFINGTON but the protesters told him he only had to give the word and they would "rip up every stone in the Market Place".

1854: On October 23rd, building started on LOUGHBOROUGH TOWN HALL AND CORN EXCHANGE, financed by a private company. The Hall was built but the company later went into liquidation.

1856: The TOWN HALL and CORN EXCHANGE were completed at a cost of £8,000 raised by shares and subscriptions. The CORN EXCHANGE occupied the rear of the building and contained 43 stands, let to farmers at a cost of two guineas per year.

1857: Until 1867, PARLIAMENTARY HUSTINGS were regularly held in the Market Place and tempers often got very frayed. This year, things got so bad that a magistrate felt compelled to read out the RIOT ACT from the steps of the Town Hall. This had no result, so the crowd was charged by police.

1863: By this year, there were 43 shops surrounding the Market Place, including 9 DRAPERS, 4 WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANTS, 3 INNS (THE PLOUGH, THE OLD NEPTUNE AND THE ADMIRAL NELSON), 3 BUTCHERS, 3 BANKS, 3 GROCERS, 3 TAILORS, 2 PAWNBROKERS, 2 DRUGGISTS, 2 NURSERYMEN and 2 MILLINERS. EIGHT ANNUAL FAIRS were held now, on February 14th; March 24th; March 28th; April 25th; Holy Tuesday; August 12th; September 30th and November 18th. The market on HOLY TUESDAY was also known as the "WHITE APRON FAIR", as it specialised in poultry, eggs, cheese and butter sold mostly by women.

1869: The Cattle Market moved from Devonshire Square to GRANBY STREET.

1870s: LOUGHBOROUGH LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH decided they wanted to buy the Manorial Rights to the Market. The decision was to be taken at a meeting of ratepayers but rumour was rife that the Board wanted to get rid of the market altogether. The heated meeting broke up in chaos and no decision was taken.

1875: Dedication of a fountain in the Market Place given by Archdeacon Fearon to commemorate the town's first piped water supply from Nanpantan Reservoir.

1880: LOUGHBOROUGH LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH finally succeed in buying Manorial Rights to Loughborough Markets and Fairs. All rents and profits now go to the town.

1881: The LOUGHBOROUGH LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH obtained an order altering the opening day of the Fair to the second Thursday in November. This has remained to opening day ever since.

1889: The Town Hall and Corn Exchange is sold to "The Mayor, Alderman and Burgesses of the Borough of Loughborough" for £5,000.

1894: The Mayor hosts the Boxing Day Meet of the Quorn Hunt in the Market Place for the first time.

1905: The "Brooklyn Cake-Walk" becomes a regular at the fair and is an instant hit. "Hall's Galloping Pigs" perform, appropriately, in the Cattle Market. Jerry Thompson, "the 10 Stone Champion of the World" takes on all comers. It was not unusual for over 1,000 people to travel from Shepshed to Loughborough on the last Saturday night of the fair. One year in the 1900s, over 500 people crammed into the last train back to Shepshed, overstraining the engine, which refused to budge. A shuttle service had to be organised to pick up the stranded revellers which operated until well into the Sunday morning.

1914: Leicestershire Regiment paraded in the Market Place before going to France.

1917: Strike Meetings were held in the Market Place.

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.

FROM "THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE COUNTY OF LEICESTER" (J Nichols, 1795)

"As to Holy Thursday fair, commonly so called, it is no fair by grant or proclamation, but only a customary resort of young people to Loughborough on that particular day, for their pleasure and amusement".