Monument record 1668/7 - Grafton Regis Market

{1}Brief synopsis of Market History,

1465 - market grant - Thursday
2 fairs of St. Simon & St.Jude
market apparently continued in 1485
probably gone by 1525

In 1465 Richard Wydvyll, Earl Rivers obtained the grant of a weekly market at his manor of Grafton, to be held every Thursday, and two annual fairs, on the vigil, feast and morrow of S. Magdalen and on the vigil, feast and morrow of S. Simon and S. Jude. It may be that this grant was in some way linked to or justified by the grant of the medieval market at Alderton. By the act of resumption in 1485 the grant of this market and these fairs was specially exempted, implying that the market had been established and was still functioning. The attempt to found a market in 1467 might perhaps be considered an attempt to diversify the economy of the settlement to offset the impact of inclosure on the tenants. More likely perhaps this was just another attempt by the then lord to achieve greater return on his investment, something clearly intended by the inclosure for sheep farming, though it must be admitted that the exact timing of inclosure relative to market foundation is not known.

Brown suggests that the green may represent the site of the market founded in 1467. There is no suitable documentation for the village in the second half of the 15th century to assist in the study of the market issue. The first detailed survey, in 1525, contains no evidence which would suggest the presence of a market or location of a market place or associated buildings.

<1> Taylor J.; Foard G.; Ballinger J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Overview, Appendix 2 (Report). SNN103118.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2003 2:24AM