When King Henry 1 of England and France needed funds to mount a campaign in Normandy in 1105 he received what must have amounted to a handsome donation by the prosperous and wealthy Abbey at Tavistock.
Henry showed his gratitude by granting the Abbey a weekly market to be held each Friday.
The market has survived without a break for 900 years.
Tavistock Market Charter 1105
Henry King of England to Geoffrey de Mandeville and to all the Barons French and English of Devon and Cornwall greeting. May you know that I have granted to Saint Mary of Tavistock and to the monks that they may have a market at Tavistock every week on Friday. And I grant to the merchants that they may sell and buy whatever they wish and that no-one to them on this account wrong shall do. With witness William Warelwast and Alfred of Lincoln and Harding son of Alnod and Walter son of Ansger at Stamford.
It should be remembered that at this time the Benedictine Abbey itself was Tavistock. Apart from the Abbey buildings there were just a few humble dwellings that housed the workpeople who served the monks in various ways.
The Tavistock Charter gave the monks the sole market rights within an area of 6 1/3 miles and attracted trade that previously went to Lydford, Launceston and Okehampton.. These towns were badly hit by the Charter and so another Charter was issued in 1107 stating:
“ It is my will and order that the Abbot of Tavistock shall have peace in his market of Tavistock just as I have granted and no man on account of this shall harm do.”
1116 - the King granted the Abbey a three day Fair on the Eve, Feast and Morrow of St Rumon. (29th to 31st August)
1539 - King Henry VIII dissolved the Abbey, stripped it of it’s treasures and gifted the remainder to Lord John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford.
1551 - Succeeding Monarchs granted the Abbey further Fairs until they numbered 5, one of which is ‘Goose Fair’ for which Tavistock is renowned.
1864 - The Market House or Pannier Market as it is now called was completed.
