OUR HISTORY

Goods have been traded in Chester for over 2,000 years. Although the setting for the new market is modern in design and construction, we believe Chester’s market charter was granted in 1159.

The markets were originally hosted on the streets and Rows, with the focus in Market Square, outside the current Forum entrance, with stalls around the Exchange building, built in the square in 1692 and which served as the Town Hill until it burned down in 1862.

It was replaced by a purpose built grand Victorian Market Hall opened in 1863, although sadly this was demolished in 1967 and replaced by the current Forum building. More about the history of Chester’s markets can be found here

The site of the new market has seen every part of Chester’s history, from housing Roman barracks and stores, Saxon houses, Viking jewellery makers, Medieval streets, Church missions, schools, a foundry and most recently a bus station. See more about the archaeology of the site here.

You can see more about the market’s history on our Wall of Time by the Market Garden area, plus see some fantastic murals about Chester’s history and parades in the New Market Parking stair-cores or by clicking here.