Buildings for buying and selling

What happens if you find you need something you haven’t got? You find someone who’s got what you need and swap it for something they need that you’ve got, or for money! And you need somewhere to meet to do the exchange. And it’s better if the place is sheltered so that the goods you are trading don’t get spoilt and you don’t get wet.

To begin with people got together for markets and fairs at certain times of year. Then they began to make permanent shops. Most shops are in towns, but people in the countryside need shops and post offices too, to buy the things they need day by day.

Do you recognise any of these Quantock places for buying and selling? Click to see if you were right!

  • Broomfield green. People used to travel regularly to Broomfield for the annual All Saints Fair, held on this green next to the church. They bought and sold sheep, cattle, horses and cloth.
  • Nether Stowey toll house. This strange-shaped building isn’t quite a shop but people still had to pay money here! Anyone passing through Nether Stowey in any sort of cart, wagon or carriage, or driving herds of animals, had to pay a toll.
  • Crowcombe market cross. In the 13th century Crowcombe became a market town. or ‘borough’. It had permission to hold regular markets, and every year a three-day fair.
  • St Mary’s Street, Nether Stowey. These old town houses have been altered downstairs to make shops.
  • The Old Bakery, Kingston St Mary. Big glass windows are useful for shops. Imagine a display of delicious bread and cakes.
  • Kingston St Mary. Today this shop and post office is just an ordinary house
  • Kingston St Mary Post Office. When old village shop closed the Post Office stayed open by moving to another building. Without a village post office life is inconvenient for people who don’t have cars.
  • The Post Office, Nether Stowey.
  • The Old Post Office, Kilve. People like to keep old names like this, to remind the what the building used to be for. The Kilve’s Post Office has moved several times .
  • Kilve Village Stores. That was an easy one to guess!
  • Crowcombe community shop. Having a local shop and post office is important for village life.
  • The villagers got together to set up and run this community shop and post office in Bicknoller.

"What is Yellow?"

Click on the framed picture for tour stop 5

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