In medieval times the Butchers Row meat market was held weekly in a space outside St Michael's church.
This was known as the Shambles and was an open market hall up to the 18th century.
Red Lion Square and the area around was the white meat market from early medieval times. By the 14th century rows of shops had been built and there were lanes called Butcher's Row & Byhindback. Although these were all cleared before 1800, it may account for the preponderance of butcher's shops in the vicinity for so long after. In 1801 when the town was becoming fashionable and elegant, the corporation bought and demolished the White Lion Inn to enable them to build a new covered Shambles off the street. The building, which is now the Library, was designed by William Legge in a classical style with an open front supported by pillars.
