Hitchin has always been known for being a “Historic Market Town” but even history can’t keep up with the Market!
There has been a market in the town for hundreds of years, possibly thousands!
Hitchin Historical Society have traced a market back to 1268, but know there was trading here way before this date.
Market towns and villages sprung up around the country, spread roughly by the distance someone could walk (there and back) in a day.
We know there was a Market Company operation in the 1850s at The Corn Exchange, now The Glasshouse. By 1882 the Local Government Board owned the right to run the town market on Market Place (The Square).
Market Place (The Square) was the Market site for many years, then the market was moved to what is now the St. Mary’s Square Car Park sometime after the slum housing there was demolished around 100 years ago.
The current site was built in 1973 on the site of the old church school and have evolved over time.
It’s not how we would build it today, the expectations and needs of visitors and traders has changed a lot in 50 years.