St Albans Charter Market

St Albans Charter Market is back on St Peter's Street this Wednesday 4 November, from 9am. It's one of the largest outdoor markets in the South East, and it holds its own as one of England's oldest street markets still in operation. The street it runs on, St Peter's Street, is the city's main thoroughfare and dates back to 860 AD, when the market was first established. Trading has long outlived the lively spirit it exuded 1,100 years ago, and the market continues to run on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with the Wednesday being the smaller of the two.

Around 150 traders set up across St Peter's Street and Market Place, selling fresh produce, gifts, homeware, and clothing alongside international street food. You'll also find practical services like phone and watch repairs, so it's as much about getting things sorted as it is about browsing. The market was named Best Large Outdoor Market in Britain in 2024, and it's a good place to pick up a few things for the week or just wander through.

The city itself is steeped in history. It started as a Celtic settlement before becoming the Roman city of Verulamium, and it takes its name from Saint Alban, Britain's first saint. The medieval Clock Tower dates to 1405, and St Albans School, where Professor Stephen Hawking was a pupil, is one of the oldest in the world. The market sits right in the middle of it all, on the same street that's seen trading for over a millennium.

It opens at 9am on Wednesday 4 November, and there's no entry fee. If you can't make it this week, the market runs every Wednesday and Saturday, so there's plenty of chance to catch it another time.