Sedbergh Charter Market

In the 'olden days' you had to have permission to hold a market, much like getting planning permission today; and that permission had to come from no less a person than the King himself.

Sedbergh's annual market fair is held every year in August. A market fair is a tremendously exciting piece of English tradition and history which is celebrated all around the country on numerous Charter market days but what does it mean?

Sedbergh is unusual in having two Charters, the Charter of 1538 replacing that of 1251. This happened when a market had ceased, probably due to bad times economically, but often due to the fact that when the Black Death (plague) swept through the land there were simply not enough people around to be interested.

The first Charter was Granted in 1251 by Henry III.

The second Charter was Granted in 1538 by Henry VIII.

Spelling wasn't their strong point back then, was it? Of course Sedbergh was in Yorkshire until the country boundary changes in 1976.

The original market site was beside the Church gate at the top of Finkle Street where a plaque on the wall of the Library marks the site of the original market. The available space subsequently shrunk as new buildings were erected and the present day market is held in the Joss Lane car park every Wednesday, although one fruit and veg. stall still uses the original site. Once every month between April and October the weekly Wednesday market is expanded to include a Local Produce and Farmers Market.

The annual market fair is held every year on a Saturday in August in Sedbergh's Main Street with a variety of stalls, children's amusements, street entertainers and musicians.