A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural towns with a hinterland of villages are still commonly called market towns, as sometimes reflected in their names.
The market square of Shrewsbury, an English market town
The market square (Marktplatz) of Wittenberg, a marked town in Germany
Market cross in a market, French, c.1400
Modern market hall in Frankfurt-Höchst, where the market dates back to at least 1356
Downham Market, sometimes simply referred to as Downham, is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, approximately 11 miles south of King's Lynn, 39 miles west of Norwich and 30 miles north of Cambridge.
Clock Tower in Downham Market
Fire Station in 2006, now a heritage centre
Downham Market Town Hall
Castle Hotel in 2022