Pontefract Visitor Booklet A5 new 2

Architectural ValueThe The Market Place is is the the commercial centre of of the themedieval market town town of of Pontefract. A A number of of the thetown's buildings date date from from the the mid-14th century, and andmany fine fine Georgian buildings also also dominate the the streetscene. There are are a a number of of Nationally Listed Buildingsand and also also Buildings of of Local Interest within the theconservation/THI boundary area. area.The The qualities and and features of of the the Market Place ConservationArea Area include:Burgage plot plot development, medieval yards and anddensely built-up street patterns.The The burgage plots plots substantially remain, revealing the the urbangrain grain of of the the town town from from the the 12th 12th century onwards when land landwas was divided into into long, long, narrow rental plots. Burgage is is a amedieval land land term, term, well well established by by the the 13th 13th century. A Aburgage was was a town a town ("borough") rental property (to (to use usemodern terms), owned by by a king a king or lord. lord. The The propertyusually, and and distinctly, consisted of of a a house on on a long a long and andnarrow plot plot of of land, land, with with the the narrow end end facing the the street.The The basic basic unit unit of of measurement was was the the perch which was was5.5 5.5 yards (5 (5 m) m) and and the the plots plots can can be be identified todaybecause they they are are in in multiples of of perches: 2 by 2 by 12 12 perches(10m by by 60m) or or 4 by 4 by 20 20 perches long long (20m by by 100m),giving a a typical plot plot size size of of half half an an acre acre (2,000 m²). m²).9