The Market Hall was built in 1627 by the wealthy merchant Sir Baptist Hicks as a shelter for market traders. Its open arches allowed goods — mainly butter, cheese, and poultry — to be sold in all weathers. Hicks, who made his fortune in the London silk trade, was a great benefactor to the town. The Hall was given to the National Trust in 1942 and remains one of the most photographed buildings in the Cotswolds. It stands at the start of the Cotswold Way, marking the beginning of many walkers' journeys south to Bath.
“Hicks, who made his fortune in the London silk trade, was a great benefactor to the town.”
