We both like going to Leek on a Saturday morning, when there is a Flea Market in the Market Square. Leek is a very old town, in Staffordshire, and has had a market since before 1214, when it was granted a Royal Charter. The present Council is called "Staffordshire Moorlands", and at the entrance to the Council Offices and Car Park is the Staffordshire Moorlands Lion. Now I have never seen a lion on the moors, but there he is, looking far from fierce, but rather friendly, I think!
One of the big markets here is the Butter Market. The other is the cattle market. The above is not the Town Hall, but the very grand entrance to the Butter Market.
The Flea Market has a very eclectic collection of goods on sale. I really think those mincing machines have had their day!
There are some lovely roofs and top stories of houses. Someone cared enough to get up there and paint everything that rather bright green!
The Market Square has houses of different periods, though all have been converted to commercial use now. The roofs are the same though!
But just look at those chimneys! Really fancy brickwork - I would think they are Tudor.
We didn't actually buy anything at the Flea Market today, though I was sorely tempted by a rather small bucket, missing its handle, painted cream and pale green, labelled "legumes". I did wonder where it had come from, and what stories it could tell. Similarly some rather smart, and very large, galvanised watering cans. They must have weighed a ton when full. But then the "big houses" would have had a whole array of gardeners to lift and carry them. Who most likely never ate any of the vegetables they grew for their employers.
We did end up buying some strawberries, cherries, and a big bag of mushrooms for 50p!
10 comments:
I love to wander through flea markets and also to visit antique stores. I often wonder about who owned something or other and I find myself drifting into story making about certain items particularly turn of the century ruby glass which I have been collecting over the years.
Oh what a great market I love that stuff and what a beautiful buildings
Where I grew up there was a vegiemarket every Thursday morning
on my doorstep. There were fleamarkets in the city and these days you've got old factories wich are set up as markets with stuff from all over the world Sight
Not much in NZ
Now that is a market I'd like to see!! I love the photo of the green paint on the top of the building and of the chimneys!
Markets are my favourite destinations! I tend to go to the one here every Sat. morning and if I visit another town or city, I try to check their market out.
When I was in London last year, Katie and I managed to take in two in one day!! I LOVED Portobello....including all the architecture along the way.
Leek is on my (ever expanding) list of places to visit. You sound as if you had a lovely day.
When I went to Leek I ran away because I didn't like it... hmm... think I definitely missed something. Will try again.
Market towns always seem to have the best architecture - a bonus, to their interesting market wares.
Leek looks as if it is worth a visit and is sounds as if you managed to buy a bargain even if there was nothing to tempt you in the Flea Market.
Like all markets, its just q question of what is there on the day! I have bought a couple of lovely necklaces there in the past, and a galvanised watering can (of a more suitable size!)
There were some lovely old gardening implements too.....
oooooooh
this will need to be re visited and Slowly
There's so much here
Thank you!
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