The town takes its name from the Old English word stōw meaning "principal place", and was granted a market charter in 1347 by Edward III.

[3][4] It is the largest town in the Mid Suffolk district and is represented in Parliament by the MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, currently Peter Prinsley.

[5] Disaster struck Stowmarket on 11 August 1871, when an explosion at a local gun cotton factory claimed twenty-eight lives and left seventy five injured.

Just before midday on Friday 31 January 1941, a solitary German bomber plane (eyewitness accounts differ on the model) was spotted over Stowmarket firing its guns.

[11] On 17 July 2002, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited Stowmarket during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations.

[13] During the visit, they visited the local market, meeting stall holders before the Queen unveiled a new Town Sign and met representatives from local organisations while the Duke of Edinburgh met students who took part in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and viewed a display at the Museum of East Anglian Life.

It is a large red brick country house built in about 1620 for the Sulyard family who were very prominent landowners in this area.

Chilton fields also hosts a parkrun each Saturday morning where runners, joggers and walkers can complete a free of charge 3-lap multi-terrain 5km course supported by volunteers.

[27] A junior parkrun takes place every Sunday morning on the Recreation Ground where 4-14 year olds can participate for free, cheered on by volunteers.

Wattisham is the nearest official weather station, about 4 miles south-south-west of Stowmarket town centre.

The main event is held in the recreation park[45] featuring a funfair, a procession through the town and local entertainment.

[49] The poet John Milton made regular visits to the town as his tutor, Dr Thomas Young, became vicar of Stowmarket in 1628.

[50] Other notable residents included political writer William Godwin, who spent time as minister at the Stowmarket Independent Church; and singer / West End actress, Kerry Ellis, who was brought up in the nearby village of Haughley and attended Stowmarket High School.

Stowmarket has produced professional footballers, James Scowcroft, who played for the local junior sides and Ipswich Town, among others.

[citation needed] Host Planet Earth, by Colin Cooper,[52] is largely set around a fictional rocket launch site near Stowmarket.