Ampthill Market Square & Kings Arms Path - A Tour Around the Streets of Ampthill

THE MARKET was for centuries crucial to the life of the town, bringing trade from the surrounding villages and generally supporting the local economy. Ampthill market has been held on a Thursday since 1219 and was confirmed by royal charter when the first of a number of annual fairs was authorised. The markets and fairs were for cattle as well as goods, and spilled along the main roads, particularly Dunstable Street, which was known as Cowfair End for a time.

In the mid-1780s, Lord Upper Ossory of Ampthill Park Jed a campaign to Improve the town centre (and increase income from the market) by creating a Market Square in front of a new Market House (now Richardson's), and tidying up the butchers' shambles, which ran from the Market House and into the Oxlet. (The butchers had been particularly unpopular in the 15th century when they were always throwing rotting offal into the town pond, the Oxflood).

A new well was sunk on the Market Square and a pump installed encased in a stone obelisk (the gift of lord Ossory) and surmounted by an oil lamp. The town clock, formerly on the old market house, was set in a new turret surmounted by a cupola, and placed on the 15th century Moot Halll where the manor court met. The Moot Hall (similar to that at Elstow) was pulled down in 1852, and the town clock moved to present Clock House, which replaced it.

From the Market Square two of the town's former coaching inns can be seen, the White Hart, a front of about 1730 on a very much older building once known as the Red Hart, remains in business. The White Hart is Ampthills principal coaching inn. A façade from around 1730 fronts a much older interior. In 1975 a wall painting was discovered under the plaster in the front room depicting the Prince of Wales feathers, dated 1646. The hotel was badly damaged by fire in 2001. The King's Arms, formerly the Crown, now 9 Church Street, has an 18th century front, but is similarly much older; it closed in the 1950s when the ground floor was converted into shops.

In the Kings Arms Yard are ancient buildings used in the 17th century to house needy people at the expense of the parish. It is thought that the roundel of pargetting with crown, fleur-de-lis, the dated 1677 and initials W.H commemorates this use ­the initials standing for Work House.

The path leads on to me newer parts OT me town passing The Hop Ground, formerly belonging to the White Hart, but now after a century and more of neglect a remarkable garden created from 1967 by William Nourish, and since his death maintained for the Town Council by a group of volunteers. The garden Is open to the public from time to time.

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Travel & Events

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• Ampthill Market Square
• Kings Arms Path
• Kings Arms Path Garden
• Ampthill
• Ampthill Clock Tower

[paulsquireticus]

not great enough deals they went tits up.cheers Tesco

[Facelessreviews24]

13 second where age concern is 2 the right of it is euronics where my dad works great deals on tvs ;)

[RMCKIE]

Wow, Kings Arm Path, I haven't seen this for over 35 years when I lived in Ampthill as a child, great memories.