Cambridge Market
Welcome to the Cambridge Market, a place where tradition and local charm intertwines with global influences.
The History of Cambridge Market
The market has been at the centre of Cambridge since the middle ages. Many years ago, ships would sail into Cambridge from King’s Lynn bringing wine, salt, fish, and other luxuries that would be sold at Cambridge Markets.
Cambridge was an important trading Centre in East Anglia and hosted the annual Stourbridge Fair on the outskirts of town – the biggest fair in medieval England.
The city’s coat of arms shows how important river trade was to Cambridge. It has three ships, two hippocampi (horses with fish tails, which belonged to the Roman sea god Neptune), and a bridge. You can still see the Coat of Arms above the door of the Guildhall in Market Square today.
Originally the Market was very different in layout to now, due to a major fire in 1849 that destroyed the wooden booths. Now the Market is known for its stripey awnings hosting numerous stalls.
Thomas Hobson, a local Innkeeper and courier for the post and news in Tudor times, made an important improvement to the market in the early 1600s.
Hobson donated money for a conduit to bring fresh water from Trumpington to a fountain built to provide clean drinking water for the people of Cambridge.
The remains of the fountain can still be seen today, which is almost like a giant flowerpot in the centre of the cobbled area.
Today’s Market
The General Market runs from Monday to Saturday in the main market square, opposite the Guildhall. Trading between 10 am – 4 pm Monday – Saturday, it is full of activity, with a variety of stalls selling fruit and vegetables, vinyl, clothes, gifts, and flowers, to sweets, jewellery, books, recycled goods, and hot and cold food.
You can find out up to date information on the Cambridge Market Instagram page. Stalls include:
Books
Browse a multitude of book titles at the Market’s bookstall. You never know what gems you might come across.
Fruit and Vegetables
There are a variety of stalls selling Fruit and Veg much of which is seasonal and locally sourced, some also sell tasty fruit juice smoothies.
Tasty treats and snacks
There are some excellent food stalls if you’re searching for some decent food. Choose from Dim Sum, Thai noodles (the smell from the stall is amazing) Paella, or Greek kebabs, and then reward yourself with a Belgian waffle.
Fishmongers
Fishmongers Crystal Waters, based in Lowestoft, has a beautiful fresh fish stand. They are open Wednesday through Saturday from 7.30 am to 3 pm.
Cheese
There’s a mixture of stalls selling cheese from countries across the world from Cheddar to Manchego, there’s a feast of delights.
Sweets
Reynolds Sweets is a family business, they have been making and selling their confectionery since 1840, passing down their recipes and skills from generation to generation.
Arts and Crafts
Many artists and craftspeople can be found in Cambridge Market. Don’t miss the handmade wooden crafts and Eastern European pottery, as well as gemstones and crystals at the Jade Tiger stall.
Vintage Clothing
If you love vintage clothing, there are a few stalls that sell modern retro and vintage clothing from the 1940s to the swing sixties there are plenty of treasures that can be found.
Love vinyl.
Love records? One cannot overlook the vintage record stall. Spend a moment looking through the historical collections.
The market has been central to Cambridge for 100 years but today the market is struggling due to the retail environment, so make sure you visit and support local businesses.
Don’t forget!
The Sunday Arts, Craft, and Local Produce Market is also situated in the main Market Square. Open every Sunday, between 10 am and 4 pm, this market offers a selection of produce from the region’s most esteemed artists, craftspeople, photographers, and farmers.
Experience student life by booking a stay at Christ’s College, where you can visit the Colleges and immerse yourself in the culture. Interact with our friendly Porters, enjoy breakfast in our Upper Hall, and wander through our gardens to envision what it was like for historical figures like Darwin or Milton to study here.
Our dedicated team of staff recently won a Visit England 4 Star Campus Award, so you can be sure of a warm welcome.
To find out more about the Bed and Breakfast accommodation we offer visit https://christscollegehospitality.co.uk/
Book directly with us and you will receive 10 percent off our publicised rates. Just use the code REVIEW10. Plan your weekend in Cambridge. We can’t wait to welcome you.
