[1] The town received a royal charter, allowing it to hold markets, from King John in 1200.

[3] After the old structure became dilapidated, the local member of parliament, Sir William Drake, who lived at Shardeloes, decided to construct a more substantial market building for the benefit of the town: the site he selected was in the High Street, to the west of the original building.

[4] The new building was designed in the neoclassical style, built in red brick with stone dressings and was completed in 1682.

[1] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with six bays facing onto the south side of the High Street: this elevation featured a row of casement windows on the first floor with a coat of arms of the Drake family in the centre.

[1] There were quoins at the corners, a modillioned cornice at roof level and an octagonal wooden cupola above.