In 2005 , Keighley celebrates 700 years of having a market charter, for on 17th October 1305, King Edward I granted the privilege to Henry de Kighley (Keighley), who held the title of "Steward and Master Forester of Blackburnshire, under the Earl of Lincoln", a market charter to "hold a Market, Fair, and Free Warren in Keighley".

The Charter, (numbered 33), was to be witnessed by The earls of Gloucester & Hertford, Hereford & Essex, Lincoln, Pembroke and Winchester, and also the Bishop of Coventry & Lichfield.

It reads:
           "Know ye that we have granted and by this our Charter have confirmed to our beloved and faithful Henry de Kighley, that he and his heirs may have one market on every seventh day, being Wednesday, at his Manor of Keighley in the county of York, and one fair therein every year lasting three days, namely: one the eve on that day and on the following of St. Simon and St. Jude, unless that market and that fair be to the injury of neighbouring fairs. And that they may have free warren in all demesne lands of the manor aforesaid; but so neverless that those lands may not be in the boundaries of our forests, so that no one may enter those lands for the purpose of chasing in or over them, or of taking anything which may pertain to the warren, without the license of the said Henry or his heirs under the penalty to our forest court of ten pounds. Wherefore we will and firmly determine for us and for all our heirs, that the said Henry and his heirs may have the aforesaid market and fair upon his said manor, with all liberties and free customs to that kind of market and fair belonging, Etc. Given under our hands at Westminster, 17th day of October, one thousand and three hundred and five".

For but a few occasions during times of plague, (when it was held at Exley Head), the market was held on the Church Green, but in November 1833, it was relocated a short distance to the area which is now a car park.

This new location lasted 138 years, when in 1971, the present indoor market was opened.

The market did return during the mid 1980's to the previous location whilst the indoor market was receiving a much needed new roof and modernisation.

The right to hold the market had passed down the line of Henry de Kighley until it reached the ownership of the Duke of Devonshire who, in 1929 commissioned Chatsworth Estates Co.. to let it known that he was to offer the rights of the market for sale. The then Keighley Corporation expressed a wish to purchase the rights but withdrew their interest in June 1930 when the price was £68,000 was considered too high.

A market company, comprising of six shareholders, who had in 1847 obtained an 85 year lease to trade at the market from the then Lord of the Manor, the Earl of Burlington, then purchased the rights and market property for a undisclosed sum.

In 1949, the Keighley Town Council finally purchased the rights and property to the market for the sum of £60,000. With the advent of the 1974 reconstruction of local government and the loss of an independent Keighley, the market passed into the hands of the Metropolitan Council of the City of Bradford.

Hopefully soon, Keighley Town Council may be granted back the right to hold market again.

© 2004 Christopher M Kelly