In front of you, you’ll spot a lively square filled with colourful market stalls covered by canvas roofs, and behind them, rising proudly, is the mighty tower of Great St Mary’s Church.
Welcome to Market Hill, right at the heart of Cambridge! Imagine every morning here since Saxon times - yes, that’s over a thousand years - people have been setting up crusty bread, fresh apples, and all sorts of treasures for sale. The energy is electric, especially with Great St Mary’s Church keeping a watchful eye from the west. Today, the market’s still here, smelling of fruit and flowers, and ringing with the friendly calls of traders.
If you tilted your head back to 1849, you might sniff smoke in the air. That year, a huge fire changed everything, clearing the old crowded lanes of the square. When they rebuilt, the town fountain in the middle became the star - and it wasn’t just about the splashing water. Thanks to Hobson’s Conduit, clean water rushed through here from 1614, right to the market fountain. You’d have seen people and horses lining up with buckets and barrels until the flow was cut off in the 1960s, when the Lion Yard shopping centre was built.
But for a juicy bit of drama, picture 1381 during the Peasants’ Revolt - the square is packed and roaring. Suddenly, a local hero named Margery Starre and a crowd led by the mayor burst in. Their rallying cry? “Away with the learning of clerks, away with it!” They danced wild circles here, shredding the university’s records in protest. Whether you’re here for veggies, victory, or a bit of mischief, Market Hill’s always been the place for a good story... and maybe a strawberry or two if you’re lucky!
