Market celebrations remind town of monument to earl
When visitors call in to shop at Cranbrook farmers’ market this month, they will be able to share a cake made to celebrate the 15th anniversary – in its current guise.
The market now operates from the Vestry Hall, but it dates back much further.
Cranbrook was first granted a charter as a market town from the Crown in the 13th century. It thrived as a busy local market at the junction of the High Street and Stone Street, mixing local trade with considerable success in the production of broadcloth.
In the 18th and 19th century it dealt mainly in fish from Hastings, hops and fruit in the summer and oats and corn in the winter.
In 1858, the Vestry Hall was built next to the market place.
The last recorded historical market was held in Cranbrook was in 1917, by which time the Vestry Hall was being used as a hospital for wounded troops.
It is not known when the original market cross was lost, but in 1907, a monument to Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, the first Earl of Cranbrook, was put up. It bore the inscription: “This market cross hard by their ancient market place was set up by Cranbrook folk Anno Domini MDCCCVII to keep the memory of Gathorne GathorneHardy of Hemsted who earned the dignity of first Earl of Cranbrook”
Gathorne-Hardy, who had died the year before, was a prominent Conservative politician, who had served as Home Secretary from 1867 to 1868 and as Secretary of State for War from 1874 to 1878.
However, the cross was damaged when it was struck by a taxi in the 1930s. The remains continued to stand for some years but now form part of a display in the town’s museum.
In 2001, after a gap of 84 years, the market was reinstated at the Vestry Hall.
Join in the 15th anniversary celebrations on Saturday, August 27, between 9.30am and 1pm.