Coventry Market History from 1217 to 2001

history@rupert-fish.co.uk

Markets existed in Coventry from the earliest times and were mainly held in what used to be known as the "priors half " of the city, Coventry market street names were derived directly from the goods sold in that particular street, cross cheaping (meaning corn market) , ironmongers row potters row, west orchards, (fruit and veg) were all dated into the 13th to 15 century, fish was first sold outside Coventry "priory gates" in the 13 century.

Markets  were also held in the "earl's half " of the city before 1364, Ranulf the 3rd, earl of Chester was granted an 8 day market each year in 1218, known as Trinity fair , and later called the great fair or corpus Christi fair, in the early 14 century the trades men in the earls half claimed they had sold goods in earls street for many years previously and had a right to hold a market also , in 1346 queen Isoldla  granted a market and fair to the men of the earls half.

In 1497 the official market days were Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays, in the middle 16th century Friday was added as a market day, in 1551 an attempt was made to remove all market stalls from between Broadgate and cross cheaping, in 1553 fleet street and Jordan well were given over to the butchers trade , in 1651 coopers wares were sold from the area of whitefriars lane and Jordan well , hemp and flax was sold near to the old peacock inn in 1682, in 1700 fruit and confectionary were sold on market days from hay lane and bayley lane.

From 1683 the Welsh market was used as a horse market for 9 days a year , in the Middle Ages in many towns in England , the Welsh people were not allowed to sell their goods in the main market .Thus they gathered in Welsh markets which usually were on the edge of the settlement.*

 1719 saw the women's or butter market moved to a purpose built open building in the yard of the peacock inn near to west orchards, the council leases for a stall on the market were in 1720 , £2 to £5.50 per year ,a market hall is first shown on a city map of 1748/9 and the stalls on this market were let to traders by the lord mayor and any four members of the council this eventually took the markets off the streets and placed them under the control of the council. 

The Coventry cross

The famous Coventry cross in the Broadgate / cross cheaping area (meaning market place) was erected by a former Coventry citizen, Sir William Hollis, who became mayor of London, he paid £200 to have the cross built , it became a focal point for the street markets which sprang up around it.

The cross measured 57 feet high and covered in gold leaf, when it was finally dismantled its stone was reputedly used in other buildings around the city.

Stone from the cross can be said to be seen in the city's memorial park.

Below can be seen the last two surviving statues , taken from Coventry's first cross, and now on display in the cities famous St-Mary's guildhall.

The traditional arrangements of markets of Friday street markets in different areas continued until the early 19th century, a cattle, sheep and pig market held in Gosford street was replaced by a cattle market at the top of bishops street , and in 1822 a sheep and pig market was founded in cook street, in 1840 the horse market was moved to join the cattle markets as it was considered a public danger at its old location, 1858 all livestock markets were moved to one site in the "smithfields", in hales street.

1902 , saw the a new corn exchange open in Smithford street, at this time the market house and women's butter market became too small , attempts to reorganize the stalls failed and in 1865 the old market hall was demolished and a new hall opened in 1867, most retail street markets were now being ended .

The city council set up a new wholesale and retail open air market on the old barracks site, 1936 saw improvements made to these markets completed, including a new meat market and public abattoir.

Fresh fruit and vegetables on sale in the open air market square , the fish and meat markets are just to the left of the picture where the arches in the wall can just be seen, note that most goods are still delivered by horse and cart , and sold from wicker trugs and pecks ( baskets).

The Second world war blitz on Coventry market

Coventry market on the morning  after the November 14th 1940  all night blitz, showing what remains of the market clock and round market  roof the rest of the market was completely destroyed, over 500 tons of explosives were dropped on Coventry city centre this night.

The second world war came to Coventry on a  night in November , 1940 , when the city was "coventrated" by the German luftwaffe air force and was burned to the ground, in the light of the next day , after many heroic acts were preformed by many citizens there was nothing left of any of Coventry's markets, the corn exchange , market hall and Drinkwater arcade were all destroyed and the Barrack market was damaged during the blitz on the city.

The aftermath of the November bombing, showing the remains of the  market hall clock tower, all the surrounding market areas were completely destroyed , except for the Barracks which was just to the left of the picture.

During the war , temporary markets were erected as the bombing allowed, a retail market was opened in west orchards in 1943,  the Barracks was repaired and reused from 1947 on a casual basis ,a casual market was opened on the site of the old Rex cinema in 1953 and in 1955 a brand new wholesale market opened just outside the city center at Barras heath, as a central point for all traders to buy their goods from , 1958 was the year Coventry built Europe's only circular retail market , this market still stand today as the city's central shopping area, with 234 stalls, including a fish market, and storage in the basement, it has twelve sets of doors , giving each trader a fair share of any customers entering the market

The building of the new market in 1958, the concrete pillars were sunk up to 20 feet deep , a car park was built on the roof, and was Europe's first circular market

Coventry market celebrated its 40th birthday in 1998 , with many exciting celebrations taking place , including a prize draw for a new car , many of the original traders families were still operating stalls 40 years on, the market is currently about to undergo a major redevelopment for the new millennium, with major shopping complexes being built around it and a brand new state of the art fish and meat section, with many new and revamped stalls being created.

The new retail market, in 2000, showing the round structure and roof top parking which is permanently full, the surrounding areas, including the market are soon to undergo major improvements in 2001.

Some of Coventry's famous historic figures and motifs saved for prosperity in St-Mary's guildhall.

Photographs from St-Mary's guildhall by kind permission of the Lord Mayor of Coventry 2001/2

Councillor Mr. Dave Chater.

Information courtesy of Coventry Retail Market management and Dr Carl Chinn, professor of history at The University of Birmingham, UK.