Trade, Services and Markets Please choose one ADMINISTRATION AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS COMMUNICATIONS CONFLICT CULTIVATION ENCLOSURES ENERGY EXTRACTION FLOODING GRAZINGS HOUSING KNOWLEDGE LEISURE MANUFACTURE PERCEPTION SETTLEMENTS TRADES Fairs and Trysts Town services for rural hinterland Warehousing Retailing Markets and marts Mercat cross, Airth, Stirlingshire The right to hold regular markets – as opposed to annual fairs – was granted by the Crown. Generally speaking, markets were held in burghs. Little retailing of agricultural produce took place in the countryside. Mercat crosses (few of them cross-shaped) marked the site of the market and the granting of market privileges. This mercat cross dates from 1697. Typically, it was a status symbol for the landowners – the Elphinstones – who had sponsored this burgh foundation. The head of the cross-shaft carries their carved initials and their wild boar insignia. The phoograph was taken in 1886. Resource pack   1     2     3     4