Old Market, Bristol
Coordinates: 51°27′22″N 2°34′52″W / 51.45618°N 2.58110°W
| Old Market | |
  Old Market
Old Market shown within Bristol |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Unitary authority | Bristol |
| Ceremonial county | Bristol |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRISTOL |
| Postcode district | BS |
| Dialling code | 0117 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Avon |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Bristol | |
Old Market (grid reference ST596732) is an area in the city centre of the English city of Bristol.
It is centred on the point where the four roads Old Market Street, West Street, Lawford Street and Midland Road meet. Although this area is one of the original parts of Bristol, much of the old housing has been replaced by modern buildings.
At one time it formed the area outside the castle where the troops mustered and later became a market where country people set up stalls and sold their wares. It was also the site of an autumn fair.[1] The market may have existed as early as the 12th century, and was the first suburb outside the city walls. It had side roads which could take the traffic on market days.[2]
Trinity Almshouses North and South were founded by John Barstaple and his wife Isabella in the late 14th Century.
Since World War II the shopping area declined rapidly in competition to the nearby Broadmead centre and with many buildings demolished to make way for new road developments particularly to the east, urban renewal has begun however, with many of the buildings seeing complete make overs after decades of neglect.
As of November 2008, Old Market Street and West Street were announced as Bristol's Gay Village. There are now 10 Gay and Gay friendly venues in the area.
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[edit] Pie-Poudre Court
In Norman times a court was set up to deal summarily with thieves and debtors of the market and fair called a the Pie-Poudre Court (also spelt pie poudre or Piepowders). The name comes from the French, "pieds poudrés" which can be translated as "dusty feet", and was a temporary court set up for the duration of a fair or market to deal with travellers who were not resident in the town.
It was held in the open air under an ancient oak tree, the site of which the Stag and Hounds Public House was built on. There is no actual record of when the court moved into the inn, where it was reputedly held in the first-floor room.
It is believed that this was the last "active" Court of Piepowders, being abolished by the Courts Act 1971. Although it had not actually met since the abolition of the fair in 1870, an annual proclamation was still read on the last day of September under the portico of the inn.[3]
[edit] Notable buildings
[edit] References
- ^ "Old Market". About Bristol. http://www.about-bristol.co.uk/out-05.asp. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
- ^ Bown, Dorothy (1974). Bristol and how it grew. Bristol: Bristol Visual & Environmental Group, with the help of a grant from the South West Arts Association. ISBN 0950464821.
- ^ "The Stag and Hounds - Old Market". The History of Old Inns & Pubs of Bristol. http://weldgen.tripod.com/bristolinns/id6.html. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
[edit] External links
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