Welcome to The Market Square

Welcome to The Market Square. . , History of the Market Square , This site has been the home of our markets since the town has existed. The square was the Shambles or meat market, evolving into a covered Pannier Market in Victorian times. The old Market Hall was destroyed by fire on March 17, 1955. Believed to have started in the Civic Hall house, the fire gutted all of the Pannier Market stalls, and even though the Civic Hall itself was left intact and standing, the interior and the stage area was totally destroyed. Only the asbestos root and walls still remained., Look to your right to see The Butterwalk. As the wealthy merchants of the town jettied their houses out over the pavement to increase their property size, so the dairy farmers and milkmaids took advantage of the space to sell their wares in the shade. The locals also enjoyed having somewhere to shelter from the elements too! Some of the pillars are Tudor, and others date from as late as the 18th century., The building to your left with the town crest on its facade, is the Civic Hall. Opened in 1960, the hall has hosted many famous people over the years, including U2, Courtney Pine, The Cure, and Generation X. It continues to play host to events in the town., Look up left, above the sloped entrance to spot the bronze figure of Mary Wesley, CBE She found fame at the tender age of 70 through the quirky humour, frank sexuality and emotional turbulence of her novels. She made Totnes her home and died at the age of 90 in 2002, having written ten novels and sold over three million copies., Bogan House , The Fashion and Textiles Museum is housed in the Grade 1 listed Bogan House. The building is a good example of a late medieval merchant's house and dates back to the early 15th century. The museum is open in the summer months and features a different historic costume exhibition every year.