Weekday Cross
Former market area in Nottingham, England
title: "Weekday Cross" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["nottingham", "streets-in-nottingham", "market-crosses-in-england"] description: "Former market area in Nottingham, England" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekday_Cross" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Former market area in Nottingham, England ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Weekday_Cross_-geograph.org.uk-_1911545.jpg" caption="The modern Weekday Cross reinstated by [[Nottingham Civic Society]] in 1993"] ::
Weekday Cross, in the Lace Market area of Nottingham, was the main market area in Nottingham. As the location of the town hall, Nottingham Guild Hall and main market, it was the centre of the town, before the market moved to the Old Market Square.
It was also known as Weekday Market.
The Cross
A cross (probably not the first) was erected about 1529-1530. The Chamberlain's Accounts contain items of expenditure relating to the purchase of stone and sand and payment to John Mychyll for working the stone. There is also reference to the purchase of drink that was drunk at the cross on Corpus Christi. This may relate to a celebration to mark its completion.
About 1711 the "Cross" was familiarly known as "The Pillar." In 1736, the Crosses were cleaned at a cost of 1s 4d This cross was pulled down in 1804, the Corporation of Nottingham recording:
::quote 1804 Tuesday, 6 November Weekday Cross Ordered that the Week Day Cross be taken down and the Material sold by publick Auction … ::
A new Cross was erected in the late 1993 by Nottingham Civic Society.
The site
The market
The Monday market was for fresh vegetables and butter. Later it moved from Weekday Cross to the 'Monday Cross', now near St. Peter's Square.
A market was held on Wednesdays and Fridays. It was possible to buy butter, eggs, pigeon, wild fowl, fruit and fish.
The Guildhall
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Weekday_Cross_Nottingham.jpg" caption="Weekday Cross showing the [[Great Central Railway]] tunnel portal before its demolition to make room for the [[Nottingham Contemporary]] art gallery"] ::
When the merchants established a Guild to regulate trade they erected a Nottingham Guild Hall on Weekday Cross. This building became the Court House and Town Hall when the borough had its own mayor and aldermen.
This site is now occupied by the Nottingham Contemporary art gallery.
Nottingham Bluecoat School
In 1723, land was given by William Thorpe on High Pavement in Weekday Cross was used and the Nottingham Bluecoat School migrated there, remaining for over a century.
The Blind Rabbit
The Weekday Cross, is directly outside The Blind Rabbit, and people can see it, while sitting in the outside drinking area.
References
References
- Articles on Nottinghamshire history and archeology. J Potter Briscoe
- Records of the Borough of Nottingham: 1702–1760.
- Nottinghamshire History, An Itinerary of Nottingham: [http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/articles/tts/tts1928/itinerary1928p12.htm High Pavement (2), Weekday Cross].
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