The earliest record of the Beast Market in Wrexham is in a deed that dates back to the third year of Edward IV’s reign, around 1463, where it was referred to as the Mercatus Averriorum, which means the Bird Market in Latin. By the time John Norden, a surveyor commissioned by Charles Prince of Wales in 1620 to survey all of the prince’s property, completed the survey, the market was already referred to as the Forum Bestiale — the Beast Market.
Originally a large, open space that served as a hub for the trade of livestock and other goods, it was the primary venue for various and fairs and markets over the years, such as the March Fair, which was the oldest fair in Wrexham, and until the arrival of railways in the mid-19th century, where animals and produce could be transported from anywhere in the country, was the largest fair of its kind in North Wales.
During this time the Welsh traders brought to Wrexham a wide range of goods including textiles and livestock such as horses and cattle. Traders from outside of Wales brought manufactured goods from cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield.
Over the centuries, the market evolved, traders building their own market halls within the town, and eventually expanding to include a variety of vendors and goods, providing a versatile shopping experience for the growing community of Wrexham.
