Morpeth Markets
Morpeth received its Market Charter from King John in 1200 ((first quarter, so recorded as 1199 by some authorities), though the King seems to have changed his mind quite quickly as some hold him responsible for the burning of Morpeth Market in 1216.
The town celebrated the 800th anniversary of the market in 1999, and the burning of Morpeth Market and other Great Fires of Morpeth was a major theme of the 2016 Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering.
A Livestock Market is known to have operated here from 1199 – 1903. Fed by the old droving roads from Scotland and from the West, it was ranked second in size to Smithfield Market in London during the 18th century. Morpeth lost the last vestige of its 800 year-old livestock market in 1985, with the closure of Maughan’s Mart at Stobhill
The Morpeth Market Cross stood here 1699 – 1871, and was where the Old Pretender was proclaimed king during the Jacobite Uprising of 1715.
Bull-baiting took place here until 1835, with a cock-fighting pit at the top of Chatto’s Yard (today the car parking space behind Peacocks) surviving until 1840.
The Market was relocated to the New Market in the 1920s – accessed initially through Grey’s Yard (off Oldgate) until, in 1938, the New Market road was opened up between the Town Hall and Clock Tower.
Through the 1970’s and 1980’s, it became a very successful street market run by the local council. But towards the end of the ‘80’s and in the early ‘90’s, it suffered from competition with private sector markets springing up in neighbouring towns. By the mid-1990’s, it had dwindled to a dozen or so stalls relocated to then Back Riggs car park.
In 2003, the Market Place was refurbished by Castle Morpeth Borough Council and the pedestrian area was expanded. This included moving the Hollon Fountain to its current location in front of the Clock Tower, installation of two lighting pylons (the “Toothpicks”, “Needles” or “Spikes”) and bronze plaques commemorating the seven old Guilds of Morpeth (Weavers, Tanners, Skinners & Butchers, Fullers & Dyers, Smiths, Merchant Tailors and Cordwainers) inlaid into the new pavement.
The horse chestnut trees were originally planted (along with others by The Chantry and on Dacre St) to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee (1897). Two of the trees were replaced “like for like” during the refurbishment in 2003, despite horse chestnuts being totally unsuitable as street trees, and with the replaced trees having caused considerable damage to the drainage and foundations of listed buildings on the Market Place.
The statue of the bull in Sanderson Arcade commemorates the livestock market, though strictly speaking most of the cattle traded were Borders Shorthorns not the Aberdeen Angus portrayed.
In 1999, alongside the 800th anniversary celebration, the local council launched a monthly farmers’ market in Morpeth. Note – modern “farmers markets” are not restricted to farmers but are limited to producers who only sell their own produce and are local to the market. In the North East ‘local’ generally is taken to mean within 50 miles. Several of the producers who started up businesses selling at the farmers’ market are now also regulars at the Wednesday Charter Market, giving it a real local feel.
In 2002-3, the Market Place in Morpeth was refurbished and the pedestrian area was expanded. And in 2005, the Wednesday market which had dwindled to just five stalls was relocated from Back Riggs onto the refurbished Market Place bringing it back into the heart of the town. As part of the relocation, the Council invested some £30,000 in new market stalls. These green and white stalls are featured in the painting of Morpeth market by Ivan Webley, commissioned by the Morpeth Chamber of Trade and on display in T & G Allan’s alleyway.
After the Great Flood of September 2008, the farmers’ market scheduled for the Sunday was cancelled but the Wednesday Market, just four days after the flood, went ahead as usual. It was as a result of the flood that the farmers’ market, formerly held on the first Sunday of the month in the Town Hall switched to being held on the first Saturday of the month on the Market Place.
In 2009, with the abolition of Castle Morpeth Borough Council, management of the Morpeth markets was taken on by Northumberland County Council. The advisory “markets partnership” was continued providing local input and maintaining continuity through till 2021.
In 2013, Northumberland County Council entered into an innovative public-private partnership with the Sanderson Arcade, with Morpeth Town Council also contributing funding, for resourcing, developing and promoting the markets. The partnership provided new blue & white stalls branded with the ‘More in Morpeth’ logo, and also commissioned the installation of stall anchor points on the Market Place. This initiative was originally for three years but is still in existence/
And in 2014, that Markets Partnership established the annual Morpeth Food & Drink Festival, held on the first weekend of October (coinciding with the farmers market) which attracted 100+ producers and several tens of thousands of visitors. This became an annual event for five years, until the Covid lockdown in 2020.
Currently (2024), the Wednesday Market is averaging 8-12 traders while the monthly farmers’ market averages 16-20 producers. Both are effectively running at capacity, constrained by the size of the Market Place and the layout of the anchor points. The Markets Partnership also organises a variety of craft markets, street food markets, “makers” markets and not one but two annual Christmas Markets
Market Manager: Neil Brown mob 07909 688174 NCC Markets Webpage