El Mercado (17th Century) by Aureliano Milani - Public Domain Catholic Painting

In early Western Europe, markets developed close to monasteries, castles or royal residences. Priories and aristocratic manorial households created considerable demand for goods and services - both luxuries and necessities and also afforded some protection to merchants and traders. These centers of trade attracted sellers which would stimulate the growth of the town. The Domesday Book of 1086 lists 50 markets in England. In England, some 2,000 new markets were established between 1200 and 1349. By 1516, England had some 2,464 markets and 2,767 fairs while Wales had 138 markets and 166 fairs.

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