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Christmas 2011
Christmas Opening Hours
Monday to Saturday 8am to 5pm
Sundays 4,11,18 December 11am to 4pm
Late Nights Thursdays 1,8,15,22,22 until 8pm
Christmas Week 19-21 December 8am to 6pm
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Chester Market
used to be situated on Northgate Street next to the Town Hall, where it traded for over 100 years before moving to the current site in Princess Street in
1967. The lively city of Chester, is steeped in history and, and has been attracting shoppers looking for bargains for thousands of years.
The earliest mention of Chester Market was in 1139, when the first shopping charter was issued in
1208 and 'the men of Chester and heirs' were granted the privilege of sole selling rights, except the annual fairs which were fair game for
all-comers.
Henry III confirmed this in 1239 and so it remained right up to until the Great Charter 1506, which gave
Chester its first mayor. With a sharp eye for business, the local boys wasted no time in expanding shopping opportunities to include coal and cattle markets
among other enterprises. The famous Rows were originally named after the trading that went on. There was a Shoemakers, Cooks and Ironmongers Row - and a
Pepper Alley and Fish Shambles. Then came Linen Hall, the Fruit, Root & Herb Market...indeed Chester sold practically every thing!
The horse, cloth and cheese fairs of old were to be the natural forerunners of today's magnificent array of
shops, not forgetting the bustling town centre market, which has continued for centuries, by order of king and queen.
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