old here in a single day.

I do not happen to have found any earlier official statistics of corn
sales in Royston market, but for the year ending July, 1839, I find the
following--

Total Per qr.
amount. avge. price.

Quantity. L s. d. L s. d.
Wheat--21,554 qrs. . . . . . 78,233 10 0 3 12 7
Barley--6l,556 qrs. . . . . . 122,402 13 0 1 19 9

Here then we get a sale of 1,200 quarters of barley a week and between
400 and 500 quarters of wheat per week.

Time was when the Royston market had commenced at a late hour, as it
does now, but owing to the necessity of being late home, or the felt
want of a jovial gathering at the market ordinary in times when the
farmer himself worked and needed one day's relaxation, the fiat for
change went forth on the 23rd October, 1782, and the hour was changed
from 3 p.m. to 11 a.m.--an arrangement made possibly with a view to the
pleasures of the market ordinary, and one under which, at any rate,
that institution flourished most famously for fifty years or more.

At one time the grain was "pitched," that is brought to the town in
bulk and stored at the various inns ready for sale in the market. The
attendance of farmers, maltsters, and corn buyers was so large that the
whole of the open space of the Market Hill was covered by crowds of
buyers and sellers of farm produce, presenting a busy scene more worthy
of the past traditions of the market than anything seen now. {109} The
market beginning then in good time, by mid-day most of the business was
finished, and, regularly at one o'clock there came out of an upper
window of the Green Man, the well-known form and features of Mrs.
Smith, the landlady, ringing a hell with all the energy and promptitude
of one who had evidently been accustomed to have that summons respected
and as promptly responded to! The bell from the Green Man is answered
by that from the Bull and the Red Lion, and the trio goes on ding dong,
ding dong! The current of business and bargain-making slackens; plump
portly farmers in top boots, millers in grey suits almost flour-proof,
maltsters carrying riding whips--all the busy assembly of men of shrewd
common sense and well filled nankeen purses suddenly puts up its sample
bags, drops its business air, and, like boys out of school, melts away
in three different directio