Monument record 2853/3 - Kings Cliffe Market

A market was granted in 1248-9 to be held every week on Tuesday and one fair every year on the feast of S.James the Apostle. In 1267-8 the tenants of the royal manor paid £3 for the right to have the toll of the fair and market in Kings Cliffe. Kings Cliffe appears to have been a functioning market in the second half of the 13th century but presumably decayed in or by the second half of the 14th century. The loss of the market is discussed in NN& Q vol.III art.407. In 1439-40 there is reference to many waste cottages and other properties in the settlement.

{1} Source also refers to initial summary text.

Brief synopsis of Market history,

Market grant 1248-9 Tuesday and fair S.James
Market existed 1267-8
confirmed 1291-2
1604 market every Tuesday and fair S.Luke - repeating C13th grant - this is a re-founding after discontinued
Market existing 1650 and fair
Insignificant by 1710.
1720 Market and Fair still existed
1849 existed but not much frequented market held on a Tuesday

The market was re-established in the early 17th century, to be held every Thursday with a fair on vigil, day and day after S. Luke the Evangelist, with the profits going to the relief of the poor of the town. It was stated that the tenants had made substantial losses due to fires and that the market and fairs to their great loss has been discontinued. A number of tradesmen in the settlement apparently issues tokens in the 17th century, though this is not an indicator of substantial commercial activity. It is not listed by Speed as a market town. It was probably always only a minor marketing centre dominated by the nearby towns of Peterborough, Stamford and Oundle. In 1650 the market and fair were still being held and were worth an annual profit of £2 to the lord of the manor. However in 1712 it was said it was 'scarce thought worthy of the name Market -Town; yet are not without memorable things.' In 1720 it held a Tuesday market and annual fair of feast of St.Luke for 3 days from St.Luke’s eve. The market cross was demolished in 1834. The weekly market, on a Tuesday was not much frequented by 1849, though it still had a fair on 29th October for cattle, horses and cheese.

No significant documentation for the medieval period of commercial activity has been identified. Early maps are poor and lack adequate schedule for detailed interpretation. It appears to be a poorly documented village, unless extensive records exist at Burghley House archive or on the records of Queen Catherine’s properties, which were not examined, although no significant sources listed in the NRO catalogues for the Burghley collections. There is however extensive historic building survival with the potential for many to relate to the period of post medieval use of the market.

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

Record last edited

Apr 16 2008 3:55PM