Welcome to Warminster

Since the 13th century, Warminster has been a market town. The market was a focus of the town's prosperity, with significant wool, clothing and malting trades established by the 16th century and continuing to be the economic backbone of the town until the 19th century. The market also included a significant corn trade throughout the period and was regarded as the second largest corn market in the west of England in 1830.Unlike many markets of the time where farmers would take only samples to market, Warminster's corn market required a sack from each load of corn to be available to the customers; each purchase was to be agreed between 11am and 1pm and paid for by the end of the day.The colonnaded front of The Old Bell was used in the days of the corn market where the corn sellers displayed their wares under cover. Corn was displayed under cover here so that buyers could inspect what they were purchasing.