THE towns of Cumbria's coastal fringe have offered opportunities for market traders throughout the centuries.

Some sites retain their popular appeal, such as Carlisle, Whitehaven, Barrow and Ulverston.

Other places - such as Ravenglass and Bootle - had medieval markets but have long since lost their importance as places for travellers to do business.

In Furness, Dalton and Broughton no longer have regular street markets but still maintain the traditions of market charters issued centuries ago.

Brougton has royal permission for fairs and markets from Elizabethan times and the charter is still read in the town square on August 1 every years.

It includes the wording: “all manner of persons repairing to this fair and market, do keep her Majesty's peace, upon pain of £5 to be forfeited to her Majesty, and their bodies to be imprisoned during the lord's pleasure.” There was to be no buying or selling “in corners, backsides, or hidden places, but in open fair or market.”

Dalton’s market charter was granted in 1239 by Edward III and Market Place has stone slabs where fish would have been sold Carlisle had its traditional outdoor street stalls facing what is now the Crown and Mitre and its covered market hall is one of few survivors from the Victorian era.

It was built between 1887 and 1889 for Carlisle Corporation by Arthur Cawston and Joseph Graham and the ironwork was from Carlisle firm Cowans, Sheldon and Company.

The city market has also been used as a concert venue, playing host to the likes of Thin Lizzy, Status Quo, Iron Maiden, Genesis, The Who and Gene Vincent.

The Victorian market at Barrow started life as a private venture promoted by the town's first mayor James Ramsden and funded through the Furness Railway company.

It was built on land purchased from the Duke of Buccleuch for £6,000 and was first rented by Barrow Council before being purchased in August 1869.

The design was provided by Lancaster firm Paley and Austin.

Barrow's Victorian market was bulldozed as part of the national trend in the late 1960s for town centre redevelopment schemes.

A new market was built at a cost of £600,000 and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on June 10 in 1971 - the same day as the launch of HMS Sheffield at the Vickers shipyard.

Back in 1821 Dalton was still the unofficial capital of Furness and hosted regular markets.

The Edward Baines trade directory for that year noted 459 families in Dalton. A total of 326 of them made a living from agriculture, 86 from trade, manufacturing or handicrafts and 47 in professional pursuits or unemployed.

The directory noted: “It consists of one principal street which ascending to the West, terminates in a spacious market place, where an ancient square tower, situated on the top of an eminence, overlooks the town, and gives an air of dignity to its appearance.

“Anciently, Dalton was the capital of Furness and, under the fostering hand of King Stephen, it attained a share of provincial eminence.”

It lost out to Ulverston after the Dissolution of Furness Abbey in 1537 during the reign of Henry the Eighth.