Ormskirk market was created by the grant of a royal market charter to the monks of Burscough Priory by Edward I in 1286. Each Thursday it provided a trading centre for the highly productive farmlands around the town. Later, in 1461, Edward IV granted a charter for annual fairs. In 1876 the Saturday market day was added to the original Thursday market day. The horse and cattle fairs died out in the early part of the twentieth century but the market is still thriving.
The market continues to attact not only the local people in search of bargain, but also shoppers from all over Lancashire. People find Ormskirk Market an interesting place to visit and to pick the odd souvenir. Ormskirk is renowned for its surrounding cobbled alleyways of tiny shops.

Interestingly enough, Ormskirk has carried down through the years its tradition of skilful bakery. In former days the town had many single women, known then as spinsters, who made exquisite flavoured gingerbread and sold it to the neighbouring towns. Ormskirk has more than the average number of bakery shops dotted around the town. More recently an indoor market has been established on Moorgate (see sketch map), open every day except Wednesday and Sunday. Ormskirk is one of the nice but small shopping Towns, for those who don't particularly like the heavy pedestrian shopping centres.

The charter for Ormskirk Market insists that should Christmas Day fall on a Thursday or a Saturday, one market stall must be erected. It doesn't have to be occupied!

We used to have relatives in Ormskirk, and on Christmas Day we would have a walk through the town after Christmas Dinner and there would be one deserted market stall.

Here is a question for Ormskirk now, with a funeral or wedding at the Parish Church, where do the main cars park, and do the guests have difficulty finding a nearby parking space in the pay and display car parks ?