The White Bull Inn in the Buttermarket, Canterbury August 2016
Origins of the Buttermarket
The square immediately in front of Christ Church Gate, the grand entrance to Canterbury Cathedral, has long been a place of commerce and meeting.
By the 16th century, it was known as the Buttermarket because it was where dairy products — butter, milk, and cheese — were sold, alongside other local produce.
It was one of several market spaces in Canterbury, each with its own specialisation:
Mercery Lane for luxury cloth and goods,
Iron Bar Lane for metalwork,
The Buttermarket for dairy and provisions.