The design of market houses varies from county to county. Dunster's is a fairly common shape - octagonal - but is quite small and has dormer windows. It has a central stone column with a lean-to roof of stone slates supported by timber columns. The design is topped off with a weather vane. In medieval times Dunster was a focus of the local Somerset wool trade, and this market house would have been a centre of buying and selling. The building we see today was probably built by George Luttrell, the owner of Dunster Castle, c.1589. It is known to have been repaired in 1647 after being damaged in the Civil War.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: iPhone
