The Market House is the focal point of Castle Cary and is a Grade II* listed building dating from 1855. Extensive renovation of The Market House was completed early in 2014 and this iconic building now offers internal and external areas to let for community and commercial events.
‘The Shambles’ – the old meat market, situated inside towards the back of the building – is now a superior venue for productions, weddings, lectures, exhibitions, workshops, consultations, films, meetings etc complete with a glazed roof, underfloor heating, seating up to 50 people, with a small servery and top of the range AV equipment.
From the Shambles, step out to the covered ‘Undercroft’ which is enclosed on three sides, with its pillared frontage open towards the street. It is a perfect overspill area for events in The Shambles, and also provides a quirky covered area for extended markets and summer social events.
In front of The Undercroft is the cobbled area which is the focus of a Tuesday general street market (Castle Cary Street Market) every week throughout the year, 9am – 2pm, which is proving extremely popular, offering a wide range of goods.
The Market House has been a major local meeting place for over 150 years, a focus for community events and home to the Town Council, Tourist & Community Information Point and a fascinating Museum.
The townspeople are very proud of this development and improvement to such an historic building and welcome exhibitors, performers, committees and visitors from far and wide to share their enthusiasm.
Weddings The Market House provides three unique spaces in which couples can marry and celebrate: The Shambles, The Undercroft and The Round House.
The Shambles boasts a fusion of modern architecture and original features, including stunning arched windows and original flag stone flooring. With seating for up to 50 guests, it is the ideal setting for your intimate wedding.
Through our large arched wooden doors, you leave the Shambles and enter The Undercroft. This covered outside space can be used for your ceremony or to allow guests to mingle and admire our historic high street, before raising a glass to the happy couple once the nuptials are complete.
Tucked away behind the Market House, you stumble across The Round House. This tiny cylindrical building, once a prison for miscreants, is available to hire for wedding ceremonies. One of only 12 in the country and the only one licensed for weddings, The Round House provides a truly unique space for your ceremony.
In addition to these two striking venues, Castle Cary provides a host of unique spots for those perfect photographs. Whether you are looking for panoramic views from the top of Lodge Hill, cobbled streets or unusual buildings - Castle Cary has it all!
Meetings and lectures With comfortable seating, state of the art WIFI projector system, amplifier and hearing loop with microphones and capacity to serve tea and coffee, The Shambles has the ideal set up for your meeting. For lectures and classes, there is also an easel available with white board pens upon request.
Exhibitions There is the capacity for hanging art works along three of our walls using STAS hanging system, complimented by out beautifully natural lighting and adjustable spot lights. We have a variety of packages to suit different artists' budgets. Pop a long for a visit and see how our space could compliment your art.
Performances Small, intimate performances have been held on the staging area in The Shambles - seating can be arranged for up to 50 attendees and our range of spotlights and sockets help artists create the right ambience for their performance.
Private Parties There is nothing that brings us more pleasure than being the focal point for your celebrations. Whether its birthday, christening, anniversary or just a Tuesday, The Market House will help make it a truely special occasion.
