Castle Hotel, Downham Market

Downham Market dates back over 1000 years, and was
originally called Dunham or Duneham. Dun or Down meaning
hill and ham being Anglo-Saxon for town, 'A town on a hill'
being an apt description. Edward the Confesser granted the
town market status in around 900 A.D, confirming the towns
right to hold a market on a weekly basis. The original market
being held on Saturdays, and there is still a weekly market on
every Saturday, as well as a Friday.

For centuries Downham Market has been a focal point for
shopping and local trade. Built on Ackerman Way, an old
Roman road, Downham's prominent position overlooking the
fens and beside the River Great Ouse has made it ideally
sited. The market place is still the site of the weekly market
(above) with original and prominent buildings still standing.
Large quantities of butter was brought up by river to be sold
at market, then to be transported again by river, to
Cambridge to be sold as 'Cambridge butter'.By the early
1850's this trade in butter was obsolete and trade in corn,
wool, and cattle replaced it, being more suited to the area.
Serving much of the out lying areas, people first came by cart,
then by bus or car, and until the arrival of the motor car the
town remained largely unchanged.