Monument record 4156/2/1 - Rockingham Market Place

The desertion of the market place as a result of the Civil War and of imparking means that there is an exceptional potential for the archaeological investigation of the origins and development of the market place, including the way in which it was inserted in the town plan in the later 13th century.

{1} In 1272 Edward Earl of Cornwall, the king's nephew, obtained the grant of a Friday market in his manor at Rockingham. There is no evidence to suggest that this was simply the confirmation of an existing situation, although a fair was already in existence at Rockingham by this time. The market day was changed in 1315 to a Saturday. When the Watson family purchased the manor in 1602-3 the grant included the rights to the fairs and market, implying that the market was still in existence or had been revived by the early 17th century. In 1769 the market was being held on a Thursday but it was discontinued some time between 1800 and 1849.
The market place is specifically mentioned in 1618 when it was held by a certain Whitwell for 33/4d. Though its location is not described it can only be the area to the east of the castle gate, depicted in 1615 as a rectangular open area representing a widening of the main road. It did not extend right to the castle gate, the intervening land perhaps representing a partial enclosure of the market place in the post medieval period, unless it had previously incorporated outworks to the castle gate. It seems unlikely that it will have been an area of former tenements before the castle gate fronting east onto the market place. At this time there were tenements fronting the presumed market place on the west, north and south with the church on the east side.
While there appears t0 have been depopulation of an area to the west of the church before 1615 and presumably in the late medieval period, the market place and adjacent tenements were deserted as a result of enforced clearance during the Civil War, which involved the demolition of 11 houses. The main road had however already been diverted from the course through combe in 1618, presumably as the first stage of a process of imparking which would continue in the later 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

There were stalls erected on the market place in the medieval period, for there is record of income in 1299 of 3/6d from the stallage of market, while between 1313-25 the stallage was worth 2/- per annum. However no record has been identified of medieval shops in the town and only one shop is mentioned in the survey of 1618, being held together by a tenant together with one of the houses in the town. In 1615 there is what appears to be a large island of tenements set within the market place on its north side which could represent the site of shops, but it is possible that these were original tenements fronting north onto the road to the church and never part of the market place.
While there appears to have been depopulation of an area to the west of the church before 1615 and presumably in the late medieval period, the market place and adjacent tenements were deserted as a result of enforced clearance during the Civil War, which involved the demolition of 11 houses. The main road had however already been diverted from the course through combe in 1618, presumably as the first stage of a process of imparking which would continue in the later 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

The market cross is said to have been destroyed during the Civil War. By 1849 just the socket of the cross still survived, used as a water tank. In 1894 this was built into a new cross positioned half way down the main street (see 4156/0/53).

{4} MED MARKET OF ROCKINGHAM, GRANTED 1271.

{5} Brief synopsis of Market History:
Fair recorded in 1223
1272 Friday market grant
1300 fair Exaltation of Holy Cross
1314 changed Friday to Saturday
1299 stallage & 1313-25
1601-2 market grant (survival or regrant?)
1712 market in decline
1769 Thursday market
Market discontinued after 1800

<1> FOARD G., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Rockingham (Medieval and Post Medieval), (checked) (Digital archive). SNN100473.

<2> 1615, Map of Rockingham 1615, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100477.

<3> Markham C.A., 1901, The Stone Crosses of Northamptonshire, p.101-103 (unchecked) (Report). SNN5725.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP89SE20 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Taylor J.; Foard G.; Ballinger J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Overview, Appendix 2 (checked) (Report). SNN103118.

Record last edited

Mar 11 2022 9:55AM