Once in town, a gentrywoman would have had many options for shopping. As mentioned in another post, she probably would have brought a servant with her to help with the shopping and carrying packages.

Let’s take a look at some of the conversations that might have occurred at Agecroft Hall about going to the market.

From the files of Agecroft Hall, we come across a court case that fits particularly well into this month’s theme. We have filled out the case a bit, since the information is scant.

Building on the other post referencing William Dauntesey's inventory, what items do we find on the probate that would have been purchased at market?

We’ve discussed the markets near Agecroft. Now let’s discuss some of the products that the Daunteseys might have taken to their markets, and the items that they maybe have needed to purchase.

Tudor and Stuart England saw an increase in trade. As the stakes became higher, battles between merchants, and between merchants and market officials, became more common.

Market towns grew in importance during the Tudor and Stuart period. To ensure that everything in the markets ran smoothly, market officials were needed.

English Market towns and “markets”- Shopping in England has, of course, changed since the Tudor and Stuart era. But chartered market towns still bear the signs of their past.

London was the biggest city in England, and getting everyone fed was a complex business! We often have modern conveniences that make storing food easier, like freezers and refrigerators. But if you were a Londoner in the Elizabethan era, you would have needed to go to the market often to procure fresh food.

The term “Market Town” might give you the idea that these were small cities that focused on limited trade. But many of England’s largest cities developed as market towns.