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THE SQUARE, AND THE MARKET PLACE.

Retford Market Square and the Georgian Town Hall viewed from the north east corner of the square in 1848

THERE is perhaps no town of the same magnitude in England that can boast of a more spacious Square and Market Place, than this; in form it is a kind of ‘L’ and let the stranger approach it from what quarter soever he may, his mind will at once be impressed with the neatness and elegance which is every where visible around him. The Great North Road, in a kind of circuitous direction, runs through the centre of it; when journeying northward, the traveller has the Market Place to the right, and the Square to the left. The old Town Hall, which stood upon the same ground as the present one, was erected in 1389, and pulled down in 1754.

About one hundred and thirty years ago the Market Place was unpaved, and a ditch or common-sewer, was open from north to south, by the side of which stood live old trees; in consequence however, of the ill effects which the noxious effluvia arising therefrom, had upon the health of the inhabitants, it was ordered to be covered in, the trees were taken away, and the Market place paved in a regular manner. There is, however, no doubt but that it had been paved at some antecedent period, as a pitched pavement, about three feet below the present one, has been found in several parts of the town.

Retford Market Square as seen from the south east corner of the square in 1848

The west side of the Square is chiefly occupied as private residences, at the west end of the south side is the banking establishment of Messrs. Sir W. B. Cooke, Bart. & Co. the major part of the remaining buildings are converted into respectable shops. The market is held on Saturday; and, according to one of the charters, the Corporation have the right of taking tolls upon corn, &c. coming into the market for sale, which right they formerly exercised, but of late years it has been liberally dispensed with. At a common hall held on the 18th of March, 1776, "It was ordered that the tolls of corn, fruit, and the bridge be free from the 5th of April following," and the resolution was ordered to be advertised in the Nottingham, York, and Cambridge papers. There is one evil however yet remaining which demands particular notice, but, by directing the attention of the proper authorities thereto, it will probably be shortly remedied; I allude to the practice of forestalling, which is here carried on to a most shameful extent, to the great injury of the inhabitants; this not only extends to the buying up of the fruit, &c. (by the hucksters, who attend here from Sheffield, and other parts of the south of Yorkshire,) but also to, butter, fowls, eggs, &c. Surely a stop might be put to this increasing evil: if the Corporation would appoint a proper person to look after these matters, and determinately resolve to punish all those dealers who are found guilty of regrating or forestalling, we should then cease to hear the numerous complaints which are weekly wade; the town’s people would have an opportunity of enjoying the necessaries of life at a more moderate rate,—the poor would be greatly benefitted, and the inhabitants generally would hail it as a measure fraught with the most advantageous consequences.

The market which is held on saturday is tolerably well supplied with fish from Hull, which, in consequence of the steam packets plying daily from that port to Gainsbro’, is generally fresh, and of a good quality: river fish is also plentiful, and the large eels from the Idle need no recommendation here. The shambles are supplied with beef, mutton, &c. not inferior to any in the kingdom; indeed few places are so advantageously situated in this respect as Retford. To the east of the town is the finest tract of rich grazing land, along the course of the river Trent, that England can produce; whilst to the west the mutton which is fed from the produce of sandy soils fully supports the name which from time immemorial has characterized the breed of forest sheep. The fairs are two in the year, viz. on the 23rd of March, for cattle, &c. and on the 2nd of October, for hops, cheese, &c. A hop market was likewise established a few years back, it is held on the first saturday in November.

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