I visited a buzzy Shropshire market town where people travel from miles away for history, beer and biscuits

As the name would suggest, independent traders have been at the heart of the medieval town of Market Drayton life since 1245. 

And after all these years, Shropshire’s third largest market town is still home a thriving historic street market as well as an indoor market too.

The quaint market hall opens every Wednesday and Saturday, featuring - among other things - award-winning butchers, fresh fruit and veg and locally sourced farmhouse butter and cheeses.

Each Wednesday, a lively street market stretches along Cheshire Street just as it has done for almost 800 years.

That's not all for the town's markets. Held from 9am to 3pm on the second Saturday of each month, an artisan market brings over 25 independent stalls in and around the historic Buttercross in a carefully curated event where the best local makers, bakers and creators sell everything from handcrafted jewellery to cakes, wines and candles.

With such a rich history of hawking and peddling, it's no real surprise the town is home to several independent shops and cafes - and, famously, an independent Shropshire brewer.

In 2010, Joule’s completed and opened their new brewery behind the Red Lion pub, which sits over a Triassic aquifer that provides hard water perfect for brewing the finest pale ales.