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Charter MarketDancers

Sedbergh Charter Market

We regret that the 2008 Charter Market has been cancelled due to unforseen circumstances

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?

The Sedbergh Town Crier

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 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.

“Know that We (Henry III) have granted and by this my Charter have confirmed to our beloved Alice of Stavely that she and her heirs in perpetuity shall have a market once a week on Tuesday at her manor of Sedbergh in the County of York.
Dated by our hand at Windsor 21st May 1251.”

The second Charter was Granted in 1538 by Henry VIII.

“ Know ye that We (Henry VIII) of our Speicel Grace and certain knowledge and freewill have granted, and by this our Charter, grant and confirm to Our beloved and faithful Thomas Stanley, Lord Mounteagle and William Parre Esqre. and their heirs for ever have a markett every week on Wednesday, in their Lordship of Sedbergh in the County of York.
Given at our hand at Westminster January 6th 1538,.”

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

The market charter plaque

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.