DEVON MARKET TOWNS

by

Tony Eames <tony.eames[at]eclipse.co[dot]uk>

Recently on the Bucks mailing list Eve McLaughlin came up with one of her pearls of wisdom, on the subject of Hiring Fairs, and how to trace our Ag. Lab. ancestors, who moved from parish to parish as their contracts expired in a parish and they had to seek a new master at a Hiring fair: "Hiring fairs were held in market towns (at least 6 miles apart), usually once a year. Draw a six mile circle round a market town - this is where the men would normally be drawn from."

Below is a list of towns in Devon described as market towns in Prof. Hoskins' wonderful book, "Devon". (Brackets indicate that the market died out long ago.)

LISTING OF MARKET TOWNS