Hereford Butter Marke
historical background by Archenfield Archaeology Ltd
Hereford is an old town – one of the oldest towns north of the Alps which is not of Roman origins
its founding, and that if its cathedral, is not known, both were certainly in existence by the end of
of Mercia. As a town, Hereford would have been a trading centre and must have possessed a m
this market, probably held weekly, took place in the streets of the old Mercian town which lay to t
High Town and Eign Gate.
Hereford’s early 17th century guildhall
It is in 1086 that the first clear reference to a market i
the Domesday Book entry for the manor of Eaton Bis
gave it to Bishop Walter for land in which the market
Lydney.’ After the Norman Conquest, William fitz Os
Hereford and had obtained this land from the Bishop
new market place there. In his home town of Breteui
made a great triangular market place which still exist
of Hereford. This was in the area now bounded by U
Peter’s Street, High Town and High Street. Much of
market stalls became permanent structures and final
family above and behind. The sites of these early sta
Macdonald’s.
The new market place was designed to accommodate French immigrants who came to Hereford
in the years following 1066. These newcomers were encouraged by laws which favoured them a
other places the citizen’s of Hereford would for many years be addressed as ‘Franci et Angli’ – F
Market stalls outside the ‘Old House’ in the 19th centu
Sometime in the 12th century, the new French town o
place, was enclosed by new defensive works. At firs
were later re-built in stone. From time to time, these
town was permitted to raise a tax on goods brought t
Edward I granted such a ‘murage grant’ which specif
charged for various items. The grant ran for a period
These are some of the dues that Edward I permitted the citizens of Hereford to raise on
market: every horseload of corn
one farthing
every hide of horse, mare, bull, cow, or hog –
fresh, dried or tanned
one farthing
every five bacons
one halfpenny
every ten sheepskins
one halfpenny
every hundred skins with wool on
one penny
every hundred skins of lambs, goats, hares,
rabbits, foxes, cats and squirrels
one halfpenny
every hundred dressed furs
six pence
every quarter of salt
one farthing
every horseload of rolls or piece of cloth
every entire piece of cloth above the value
of forty shillings
every cartload of pieces of cloth
every hundred rolls of worsted cloth
every hundred salted cod or other dried fish
every cart of sea fish
every horseload of sea fish
one halfpenny
one halfpenny
three pence
two pence
two pence
four pence
one penny
every salmon
one penny
every twelve lampreys
one penny
every thousand herrings
one farthing
every horseload of honey
one penny
every sack of wool
every two thousand onion or garlic
every hundred pieces of tin, brass and copper
two pence
one halfpenny
two pence
Any parcels or panniers of anything not specified were charged at one farthing for anything value
shillings. Any parcels or panniers of non-specified goods valued above ten shillings were charged a
Various types of merchandise were sold in different locations in the town. The fish market was in
meat market in High Town in a location that would become known as Butcher’s Row. In the late 1
market was in St Owen’s Street.
The vegetable market became located in what is now Church Street. This consequently became
Lane and Narrow Cabbage Lane. Later the name was gentrified into Broad and Narrow Capuchi
Capuchin order had no connection with Hereford at all. Now the two parts are identified separate
Capuchin Lane.
The heart of the market was the market cross at the western end of what is now High Town. It w
Tudor, grandfather of King Henry VIII was beheaded in February 1461, after his capture by the Y
the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross, 25 kilometres north-west of Hereford. Owen’s head was placed o
madwoman combed his hair and washed the blood from his face. She lit more than a hundred c
the cross.
A market scene in Hereford in the second half of the
On the left is the scene in what is now Capuchin Lan
In 1809 it was decided to demolish the Redstreak Tre
non-livestock markets. The first markets were opera
1810. The market did not originally have a roof but th
present archway from High Town (left). At the time t
carved figures or clock tower.
In 1860 the market was covered with an iron and gla
town hall was demolished, the site being finally clear
town clock had been on the old building, a competitio
tower had been held the previous year. Although a d
1861 the council decided not to proceed with the pro
above the entrance to the market, where it still stand
The entrance to Hereford Butter Market in 2007