Wrexham - a town situated where the Welsh hills meet the Cheshire plains - built its prosperity on trade. Wrexham's March Fair at the Beast Market was the climax of the business year. Eventually some traders built their own market halls in the town. Manchester traders sold textiles in Manchester Square and Birmingham traders sold hardware in Birmingham Square, both off Henblas Street, while the Yorkshire dealers operated from a square near Tuttle Street.

The railways heralded the end of the fairs and the arrival of the shopkeeper, who was able to sell the former travelling traders' goods throughout the year. New shops and businesses opened to cater to those people grown rich on industry and also the expanding mining village communities nearby.

The markets gained new life with the Butchers' Market (built 1848), the Butter Market (1879) and the Vegetable Market (1910 & 1927). In the 19th century the shoppers of Wrexham wanted the latest shops. They still do today and the town centre keeps changing as a consequence.

Norden's Survey 1620: "Upon Mundays and Thursdays, marketts are kept within the towne of Wrexham, and that there are three ffayers kept in the town yerely, viz: upon the Xiith of Marche, fifthe of June and the VIIIth of September"

Part 3