Historic
Market
The market square itself, known as the
Chequer from the 14th century, has long been held one of
the chief distinctions of Northampton. John Morton in
1712 says 'The Market Hill is lookt upon as the finest in
Europe; a fair, spacious, open place'. In his writings,
'The Journey from Chester to London' Thomas Pennant calls
it 'an ornament to the town; few can boast the like'. And
in 1724, the new appearance of Northampton inspired
Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe, to describe
Northampton as the "handsomest and best built town in all
this part of England…..finely rebuilt with brick
and stone, and the streets made spacious and wide". He
also said this about the market; "This is counted the
center of all the horse-markets and horse-fairs in
England, there being here no less than four fairs in a
year: Here they buy horses of all sorts, as well for the
saddle as for the coach and cart, but chiefly for the two
latter."
In 1873, a purpose-built Cattle Market on Victoria
Promenade opened, removing from the Town Centre the
livestock portion of the market. This cattle market has
since been shut down. The Market Square, under the terms
of one charter, can become a forum for political
discussion and free speech after 6.30 pm. It was used for
this purpose in 1874 when there was a riot on the Market
Square, provoked by a parliamentary election campaign
involving Charles Bradlaugh, a radical atheist.
Eventually the mayor read the Riot Act, but the rioters
took little notice, and did not disperse until troops
arrived and fired into the air.
The present day market is still held on this same piece
of land and it was this market that Northampton was
rebuilt around after the Great Fire. The open space of
the Market Square is flanked by impressive Georgian
buildings. A market cross is mentioned in 14th and 15th
century deeds, and a new one, erected in 1535, were
destroyed in the fire of 1675. Monuments and fountains
have come and gone but now there is just a market. The
Market Square had always boasted a monument in the
centre, the last being a superb Victorian Fountain,
erected in 1863 and known as Samuel Isaac's fountain
after the benefactor.
The fountain was raised to commemorate the marriage of
Prince Albert to Princess Alexandra of Denmark, but was
often used as a focus for various rallies and speakers.
In 1930 the Market Square fountain was renovated, and
four hanging lamps became part of its attraction. When
the metal work was taken away in the 1960s, largely
thanks to repeated vandalism, the nearest market traders
used to use the remaining steps for staking up crates of
cabbages and vegetables. The remaining stones were later
removed in 1962 as an impediment on the square a sad end
to a well-regarded feature of old Northampton.
From an early date the market square has been the centre
of civic and mercantile life. The street names of
Northampton are a fairly clear indication of the
marketing importance of the town. Sheep Street, The Horse
Market, and the Hog Market lie in the north-western
quarter; Corn Hill, Malt Hill and Wood Hill north and
east of the Market Square; Mercers Row to the south and
the Drapery to the west of it, whilst Woolmonger Street
runs to the south west, and Gold Street (once Goldsmiths'
Street) runs west from the centre of the town.