Just a bit of brainstorming but how about having the market idea built around the premise of them being medieval charter annual fair thingy's like my town had, (heh and still does) as with them being officially sanctioned it would allow nobles be involved with them and not just ye oldie local peasants and traders.
NB Just a snippet from a thing about ours so folk know what kind of thing I'm trying to get over.
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Introduction
'For Hugh son of Ralph. The King to his Bishops etc. greeting. Know ye that we have granted and by this our charter confirmed to our beloved and faithful Hugh son of Ralph, that he and his heirs for ever shall have free warren in all their demense lands of Elkesdon'.
So begins the charter which King Henry III granted to Hugh de Muskham on April 10th in the year 1252. The charter granted the lord of the manor and the townsfolk of Ilkeston the right to hold a market on the Thursday of every week and an annual two day fair on the Assumption of The blessed Virgin Mary in August.
As already mentioned, the original annual fair was granted in 1252 and was held during August. The ancient market place and church yard would have been witness to a colourful and noisy mixture of agricultural trading, street entertainments, peddlers and no doubt the gruesome spectacles of bear baiting, dog and cock fighting and the occasional public punishment of the odd local felon or two.
The Origins of the Market Place
Originally, along with the many religious festivals held throughout the year, the markets and fairs would have been held in the church yard: the village priest adding to his coffers the fees paid by traders for the privilege. As in every other town and village throughout the land, Ilkeston's early market traders would have outgrown the confines of the small church yard and would have required the establishment of larger and more permanent sites, though still close to the church.
