The Gazetteer is a comprehensive compilation of markets and fairs in England and Wales between c.900 and 1516. While there have been previous works that focused on individual county studies, this survey differs because it covers more years, includes both markets and fairs, and determines the length of time each functioned. Researched and compiled by Samantha Letters, the Gazetteer provides detailed information for approximately 2,400 places in England and Wales that had a market or fair. Nearly 5,535 individual markets and fairs are listed. The English portion currently includes 39 counties; the Welsh portion does not identify counties since they were not established until 1536. The information for the study was gathered mainly from printed primary sources and supplemented by evidence in secondary sources. Letters relied heavily on the Calendar of Charter Rolls, the grant records of the royal administration during this period.
It is necessary to read the instructions for interpreting the entries. The glossary and list of abbreviations are also essential tools. The entries may be browsed by county or place name; there is no searching capability. Indexes of the places, persons and institutions are provided. Place entries generally include an eight‐figure grid reference, whether the place was a medieval borough or had a mint, its assessed value in the 1334 lay subsidy, whether the market or fair survived in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and references to key works about the place. Information on the specific market or fair includes days held, date granted or recorded, grantor, and grantee.
Appendices provide additional information on unidentified places that may have had a market or fair before 1516 and places with markets and fairs still functioning in 1600. Although no geographical maps are provided, the author includes figures illustrating the numerous places in England and Wales that had a market or fair. Additional figures show the total number of markets and fairs by region; the survival rates of places with markets to 1600; and the places in southeast England with a market or fair by 1200, 1300 and 1516. Researchers will be interested in the extensive bibliographical references to sources and historical maps, as well as the author's initial analysis of the gazetteer material.
The operations of these important commercial institutions are of interest to medieval history scholars, archaeologists, and economists. While there is a print version available, the online version will feature any future additions and corrections to the material. Maps would be one useful addition to the site. Novices and scholars alike will appreciate the historical background on markets and fairs detailed in the full version of the introduction. The brief version of the introduction provides quick access to the most frequently asked questions about the Gazetteer. This thorough and unique reference source is recommended for academic libraries with medieval history programmes.
