24/05/2026
What is a Charter Market?
The title 'Charter Market' means the Council's right to hold markets and to receive rents, as granted by the Crown.
"John by the grace of God etc. Know us to have conceded, and by this our charter to have confirmed, to William our treasurer canon of the church of Lincoln, that he shall have one fair at his prebend of Leighton every year for three days duration, namely on the vigil of the Invention of the Holy Cross and for the two days following, and that he shall have there one market every week on Wednesday, in such a way that that fair and that market shall not damage neighbouring fairs and markets. It shall be prescribed in such a way that William and his successors to the aforesaid canonry shall have the aforesaid fair and the aforesaid market at Leighton, in perpetuity, well and in peace, freely, quietly, wholly and honourably, with all franchises and liberties customarily pertaining to this type of fair and market, as aforesaid. Witnesses: The Lord Bishop of Wi******er, William Earl of Devon, William Brewer, Peter Fitz Herbert, William de Cantilupe, William Malet, Robert de Vallibus, Geoffrey Luterell, John Fitz Hugh. Given by the hand of H. of Wells, archdeacon of Wells, at Christchurch, 12 November in the 10th year of our reign [1208]"
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