The History of the Market Town of Cheadle
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
Presented by our Town Historian Mike Plant
Cheadle: A Market Town Since 1250
A market has been held in Cheadle since the Lord of the Manor, Ralph Basset, was granted a charter for a market and fair during the reign of Henry III. The granting of the charter meant that Cheadle was forever a town, rather than a village. Research by the late historian George Short in the 1970s found that the earliest reference to the market charter is 30th May 1250.
Where Was the Original Market Site?
The original location of the market was the High Street, with the Market Cross likely acting as the starting point or center of trade. When A.W.N. Pugin was building the Catholic Church in the early 1840s, in a letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury, he referred to the area around the cross as the Market Place. The High Street beyond the cross was still called Market Street in the 1850s.
A New Market Place
The current Market Place was developed in the late 1820s, when it is referred to as the ‘New Market Place’ in newspapers. The Market Place and shops were let out on a yearly basis by the owners, usually at a sale held at the Royal Oak. The owners at this time were the MacKenzie family, who also owned the building opposite, which would later become Lulworth House. The shops at the top of the market are incidentally the only example of Georgian architecture in the town - in particular the Georgian windows.
Cheadle Shambles
At this time, the indoor market didn’t exist; instead, on either side of the square were cast iron shambles, which were made by Silvester and Hopkins of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Traditionally, shambles were used by butchers to slaughter cattle and sell meat from. Due to the relatively late date of Cheadle’s shambles, it’s not known if they were used in this manner.
& A Busy Street!
Although there was a new Market Place in the town, a letter published in the Staffordshire Advertiser in 1868 regarding highways indicates that trading also continued in the street. The letter includes the line, “the main highway through the town of Cheadle on market days is usually so blocked up with stalls, carts, wheelbarrows, barrels, baskets, pitchers, hawkers, pigs, women, and children.”
Shambles For Sale
In the early 1900s, the shambles were brought together, and the Market Hall, or Indoor Market, was built. This entailed knocking down some parts and extending other parts of the building. An eventual casualty of this development was the business that occupied 1 Market Place – the Market Square Tavern. Now hidden from view, it meant that the police couldn’t see it from the street, which probably contributed to it being de-licensed in 1907. If you go behind the market building you will see a shop that once was this Tavern.
New Owners
The Mackenzie family were the original owners. By the early 20th century, it was owned by the Bradbury family. The Bradburys lived in one of the properties at the top of the market and operated the butcher’s shop at the front of the indoor market, as well as a shop on the High Street.
War Horses
In August 1914, local horses requisitioned by the Government for use in the Great War were gathered in the Market Place before leaving the town. This incredibly poignant event was never forgotten by those who witnessed it.
Market Hall For Sale!
The Market Hall and square were put up for sale in 1932, following the death of Louisa Bradbury. At the time, it was described as one of the few remaining privately owned retail markets in the country.
It was noted in a 1954 edition of the Staffordshire Sentinel that Cheadle Rural Council had at one time considered purchasing the Market Place. However, a loan was refused by ‘the Ministry’ as there was no charter document, so it remained in private hands.
Redeveloping the Town
Towards the end of the 1990s, there were concerns raised over the condition of Georgian buildings at the top of the market. At that time, there was an ongoing scheme to encourage the restoration of buildings, so thankfully funds were available to restore the shops, as well as various other buildings in the town.
Turbulent Times
Cheadle’s market weathered many decades of change, including most notably the opening of supermarkets and online shopping; however, by the early 2000s, it was in decline, and despite the best efforts of the market officials, over time the number of stalls gradually reduced. One of the reasons for the decline in stallholder numbers is that their success in trading on the market resulted in growing their business into needing a shop premises, some of which remain in business to this day. The market has always provided an opportunity for entrepreneurs to test their wares' viability and see if they feel suited to this type of work.
District Council Involvement
In 2005, the market area was leased by SMDC for a period of about 5 years from Northern Markets. More restoration took place in 2006, when the Market Hall was extensively restored and officially re-opened by the county Lord Lieutenant. On a less positive note, some of the outdoor stalls were removed by SMDC and never returned. At the time, this was seen as detrimental to the market’s ability to trade.
by Mike Plant, Local Historian
POV: For the first time in nearly 1000 years, Cheadle is without a market or a viable prospect of having one. We hope this situation is temporary and not a permanent outcome for SMDC. Community-focused citizens are therefore urging SMDC to safeguard Cheadle's assets by designating them as Assets of Community Value, ensuring that the market can endure and thrive for another millennium of trading.
The History of the Market Town of Cheadle - created 19th May 2026
