ShoppingThe Shambles

[tange, 04.06.2007] Chesterfield in Derbyshire is a very historic town on the edge of the Peak District. Part of the reason it built up into a town was its position as a market centre in the middle of a largely rural part of the country. There has been a market held in Chesterfield since the Saxon age and documentary evidence shows that there was an open air market from 1165 onwards, but it is not until King John granted the town a Market Charter in 1204 that the regular markets started (they are now held on Monday, Friday and Saturday, with a Flea Market on Thursday).

The market moved to its present site in the 1220s (up until then it was located in a small area near the church) and now the Market is divided into two Market Places separated by the impressive Market Hall.
Connecting to the larger Market Place is a small shopping area called The Shambles. Originally this part of town was part of the market and was made up of the same temporary stalls that you associate with open air markets.

This was back in the 12th Century. Gradually this area of stalls was replaced by more permanent buildings and this section of town became home to the butchers of Chesterfield. The name Shambles refers to Flesh-shambles the original name for this area, which probably comes from the Anglo Saxon words Fleshammels translated as Flesh shelves. Shambles is an ancient term for a Meat Market, or an area where butchery took place. Thus the little narrow cobbled streets, surrounded by old buildings got its name!

There are now no more butchers in The Shambles, but there is still a reason for the tourist to (and indeed the resident of) Chesterfield to visit and have a look. Just recently the area has been sympathetically restored the cobbles have been re-laid, there are signs relating the history of the area and they have planted some really attractive flower containers.

Strictly speaking this is going against all that the Flesh-shambles would have been like poor sanitation and hygiene in the Middle Ages, combined with the blood and associated icky processes involved in preparing meat for sale, would have made wandering through the Shambles of the past a rather unpleasant experience! That is not the case today. The narrow streets are on a slight incline, this would have been essential for the blood and stuff to run away down a channel in the cobbles, but now these cobbles are clean.

A visit to the Shambles now is purely a pleasurable experience! Lining the cobbles are a variety of shops, pavement cafes and a pub. Where meat was once on display you can buy gifts, ladies undergarments, health food, alcohol and sit outside with a meal or snack. The pub on Irongate though is by far the biggest draw for the visitor.

The Royal Oak is one of the oldest pubs in the country. The pub is made up of two distinct buildings and the pub is divided into two separate rooms, both served by a central bar. Each room has a separate entrance and are not connected. The top (smaller) bar is the most interesting from a historic perspective. It is a very narrow room which has a very high timbered ceiling. The larger room (at present this is the smoking room) is also where the toilets are. This is still obviously an old room, but it doesnt have the same wow factor as the upper room!

As you leave the Royal Oak, take a look at the sign outside. This claims that the pub has been an Inn since 1722 and before that it was a resting place for the Knights Templar, a band of Crusaders.

A walk through the Shambles is best enjoyed on a sunny (or at least not rainy) day. If it's raining you risk being dripped on and also have the added danger of slipping on the stone cobbles! The streets are also quite rough and uneven, so be careful if you have heels, but it is well worth the effort of navigating the narrow cobbled alleys. As you pass through, picture the scene in the Middle Ages bustle, noise, smells and the shouting of market traders. The Shambles is much calmer, quieter and a lot cleaner now!

For a few minutes though you will have been walking through history!

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

Chesterfield TIC
Rykneld Square
Chesterfield
S40 1SB
Tel: +44 (0) 1246 345777 / 8
Fax: +44 (0) 1246 345770