Post-medieval market place, Ingatestone (EHER 18925)

The post-medieval market is thought to have its origins in the medieval market place (EHER 18924). A new market-place was laid out at right angles to the High Street by 1770 and had a pond for watering livestock, probably to serve the growing cattle trade (see EHER 5377).

The Walker map of 1600-1601 shows the market-place as a cigar-shaped widening of the High Street. By 1770 a new market-place had been laid out at right-angles to the High Street, roughly opposite to Star Lane in Fryerning Parish. This consisted of the Market-place and Bakers Lane (called the Beest Market in 1770 and Back Market in 1815), at the junction of the two was a pond used for watering livestock. It is possible that the original intention was to form a roughly rectangular market-place in the space behind the properties fronting the High Street, however if this was the intention the area underwent rapid infilling with properties facing on to both the Market-place and Bakers Lane. The stocks and Village Cage were also located in the market. The movement of the market-place may have been dictated by the requirement to keep the main road clear for through traffic. The Village Cage and stocks were sited in the market-place. It was a small wooden building with two barred windows, primarily used for the imprisoning of drunk or disorderly persons and the storage of coal, which was then distributed to the poor of the village. The stocks stood in front of the Cage. The Cage is now located at Drury's Farm, Mountnessing, and is in use as a shed. <1> <2>