Moments of Faversham’s history, experienced by Faversham Market
Mentioned in the Domesday Book, Faversham Market has played an important part of the town’s history for an estimated thousand years. Hence it’s popular description as the ‘Market Town of Kings’.
Faversham long history has been marked by the involvement of kings and queens as well as other landmark events and actions, many of which would have had an impact on the town’s market.
Here’s a roundup of significant dates and developments
- 930 King Athelstan held a national council at Faversham.
- 1147 King Stephen and Queen Matilda founded an Abbey in Faversham. They were buried along with their son Eustace in the Abbey Church, although their bones have since been lost. The wealth brought by the Abbey would have benefited the market.
- 1360 – King of John of France stayed at the Maison Due in Faversham.
- Henry V passed through Faversham whilst returning from his victory at the Battle of Agincourt. Would his entourage have visited the market?
- The King’s Minstrels visited Faversham every year between 1516 and 1532. It’s likely they would have performed in the town centre.
- 1519 Henry VIII, Queen Catherine of Aragon and Cardinal Wolsey came to Faversham and were entertained by the Faversham Corporation.
- 1540 Archbishop Cranmer visited Faversham, during the year his famous bible was published.
- 1545 Henry VIII visited again and it’s recorded he was presented with two dozen capons, two dozen chickens and a sieve of cherries. Faversham is still renowned for growing delicious cherries – in fact it is believed that it is Henry VIII who described Kent as ‘The Garden of England’.
- 1546 and Henry VIII just can’t keep away! This was when he granted his great charter to the town , which included the right to hold a market ‘three times a week and on half holidays’.
- 1572 Queen Elizabeth spent two nights in Faversham and was presented with a silver cup costing £27.10. (This is the equivalent today of over £4,000. In addition, accommodating the Queen and her ladies in waiting cost another £7,000. )
- 1574 A new market hall was built in the Market Place. Market traders have used the area under and around the hall to trade their wares for around 500 years. The hall was converted into a Guildhall in 1645 and the upper half was rebuilt in 1814 following a fire.
- 1590 and 1597 William Shakespeare performed in Faversham during his tours of Kent (when London theatres were closed due to the plague). It’s hard to believe that Shakespeare and his men wouldn’t have visited the market during their visits!
- 1633 a large number of French protestant refugees moved to Faversham. These refugees would have practised a wide variety of trades and occupations which would have had an impact on the local business community.
- 1635 A leaden pump was installed in the Market Place and records show that there had been a fish market located here for a long period. There were also a pillory and stocks located in the Market Place at this time. Not everyone spending time in the Market Place were there to do their shopping.
- 1636 It is recorded that 79 persons in Faversham died of the plague. There is no record of the Market being closed down during this period, although it did cease trading in the early part of the Covid pandemic in
- 1660 Charles II visited the town and was entertained at 23 Court Street.
- 1688 Charles’ brother James II was captured in the waters of Sheppey by two Faversham fishermen whilst trying to escape the country. He stayed in the Queen’s Arms in the Market Place for three nights and would probably have been woken early by the sounds of traders arriving to set up their stalls on the market.
- 1738 John Wesley visited Faversham and described the locals he addressed ‘more savage in their behaviour than the wildest Indians’. Maybe they’d been drinking too much of Faversham’s famous ale! However, this didn’t stop John Wesley visiting again 50 years later, when he had a much more enjoyable visit.
- 1742 Due to local concerns, a law was introduced to stop gunpowder being transported through the town centre in open carts. This must have been a great relief to the traders and shoppers at Faversham Market.
- 1772 Changes were made to the town’s roads and layout which would have made it easier to reach the market. The Mall promenade was created, roads were widened and a bridge was built over Westbrook Stream.
- 1789 Faversham Bank was established, but failed to the great loss of many local people.
- 1858 Faversham Railway station was opened. How many visitors would have come to Faversham town centre using the train?
- 1865 a Cattle Market was held in East Street with auctions taking place on a Tuesday. Presumably it was easier than trying to bring livestock into the middle of the town. However, during this time a Corn Market continued to be held by the Town Hall in the Market Place.
- After the loss of many young men during World War One, thanksgivings were held in 1918 in the Market Place to mark the end of the Great War.
- 1939 During World War Two, bombs were dropped on a number of sites throughout the town centre causing significant damage and tragic deaths.
- 1953 Celebrations were held in the Market Place of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
- 2010? The licence to operate Faversham Market is awarded to a not-for-profit co-operative run by local people and traders, who are working hard to keep the market thriving for the next 1,000 years.
Well-known faces who have visited Faversham
For more information on the history of Faversham Market, click here.