Shiitakes and giggles

Berko has been a market town since Saxon times. It was the policy of the Saxons that all retail trade should be conducted at markets and Berko has had one ever since. The market was formally recognised by royal charter in 1217 under Henry III, who also decreed that no rival market could set up within seven miles. By then, the High Street was already full of goldsmiths, brewers, tailors, butchers and wool merchants. In the 1300s, Berko was considered one of the best market towns in the country. I’d say it still is.

Over 800 years later, that tradition is alive and well. The High Street already has the Antiques & Vintage market on the first Sunday and the Farmers Market on the third, and since last year there's been a new addition to the calendar. The Artisan & Makers Market pitches up on the second Sunday and every penny of the pitch fees goes directly to two local heritage charities.

At a time when plenty of towns are wondering how to keep their centres alive, Berko keeps finding people who just get on with it. We caught up with the team ahead of this Sunday's market (8th March) to find out what's behind it all.

Over 40 stalls with high quality products ranging from Art, Jewellery, Turned Wood, Ceramics, Textile  Accessories, Crystals, Bird houses,  Houseplants and  Homewares, to Gluten Free cakes, Non alcoholic wine, Dragons and Shiitake Chilli Oil. The gallery page on our website gives a good idea of what to expect at our market on Sunday 8th March.

The market is friendly and fun with great atmosphere, and uniquely all the pitch fees paid by the stall holders go to support two local heritage charities, the Townhall Trust and Friends of St Peters (FoSP) who are a fundraising group trying to ensure that our iconic 13th century church building is around for another 800 years, and contributing to the £20k/pa that it takes to maintain Rectory Lane cemetery.

All our dedicated artists and makers are passionate about their work and the unique items they produce and I’m reluctant to single anyone out, but I’m delighted to have Michell Tippett and Jocelyn Merriman join us for the first time  in March. Michelle designs and prints her own fabric which she  then makes into beautiful homeware items. Jocelyn creates beautiful pieces for the home from air dried clay.

Berkhamsted is one of the oldest market towns in the country. There’s been a market here since Saxon times. The markets bring life and visitors to the town which benefit the local  businesses  and create a great buzz on the High Street. We have thought for a while that we could do more to promote the market town status of the town and build on the success of the existing markets, particularly the Antiques and Vintage market (1st Sunday) and Farmers Market (3rd Sunday) by adding to the Sunday markets and promoting Berkhamsted and its markets over a wide area. 

3 Mar | Northchurch Social Centre | 14:00 - 15:30 | Community Fridge

3 Mar | Village Hall, Wigginton | 20:00 | The White Lady — Wigginton History Society talk on the true story of the most important SIS/MI6 intelligence networks behind enemy lines in Belgium in WW1 & WW2. Speaker: Helen Fry

3 Mar | The Highwayman | 19:30 | Quiz Night

4 Mar | Centenary Theatre | 19:30 | Live Far From The Apollo — stand-up comedy night returns to the Centenary after rave reviews last autumn | Details

4 Mar | Markova Theatre, Tring Park School | 19:30 | Holloway Jones — a play about a sixteen-year-old navigating the foster care system while training for the BMX Olympic Talent Team. Sixth Form Acting production | Details

4 Mar | The Crystal Palace | 19:30 | Quiz Night

5 Mar | The Kings Arms | 10:00 | Berkhamsted Valuation Day — free valuations of collectables, antiques and fine art. You can also consign items for upcoming auctions on the day

5 Mar | Blues Bar, Tring Park Cricket Club | 19:00 | Dino Baptiste & Night Train — blues, boogie woogie and funk from a musician who's played with the likes of Mick Jagger and Lulu | Details

5 Mar | Clock Room, Berkhamsted Town Hall | 19:30 | Reforming Healthcare in the UK — Berkhamsted Citizens Association talk by Gordon Yearwood on the future of the health service and a modern model for healthcare in West Herts | Details

6 Mar | Markova Theatre, Tring Park School | 19:30 | Nora: A Doll's House — Stef Smith's reimagining of Ibsen's classic, set across three time periods: 1918, 1968 and 2018. Sixth Form Acting production | Details

7 Mar | Berkhamsted Castle | 08:15 | Berko 10km — trail running event through the Chilterns with Run the Wild, starting near the castle ruins

7 Mar | Northchurch Social Centre | 09:30 - 12:30 | Berko Repair Cafe — bring your broken items to be repaired in exchange for a donation to local charities. Reducing waste and saving money

7 Mar | Berkhamsted Town Hall | 10:00 - 16:00 | Pop Up Bazaar — first Saturday of the month. Free entry, dogs welcome. Indoor market with independent stalls plus onsite cafe

7 Mar | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | The Birth of the Cool: Live — BJazz evening centred around Miles Davis's album, Birth of the Cool, showcasing its rich nonet instrumentation and later collaborations with Gil Evans | Details

7 Mar | Deans' Hall, Berkhamsted School | 19:30 | Bridgewater Sinfonia — Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 with soloist Emmanuel Bach, plus Schubert's "Great" Symphony No. 9 | Details

7 Mar | Centenary Theatre | 20:00 | The 24 Hour Musical — performers create and stage a full musical in just 24 hours | Details

8 Mar | High Street | 09:30 - 15:30 | Berkhamsted Artisan & Makers Market — over 40 stalls with art, ceramics, jewellery, textiles, houseplants, gluten-free cakes and more. All pitch fees go to the Townhall Trust and Friends of St Peters

8 Mar | The Vyne Theatre | 19:00 | Royal Ballet: Giselle — Peter Wright's atmospheric production, transmitted from the Royal Opera House | Details

9 Mar | The Bull | 19:00 | Quiz Night — £12pp entry inc. food at half time, prizes to be won (£2 of entry fee goes to Mind Mental Health)

9 Mar | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers — Berkhamsted Film Society screening | Details

If you want to tell us (and other locals!) about something happening, use this form!

9 Mar | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers | Details

Documentary on Van Gogh's revolutionary artistic style during his years in southern France

7 Mar | Berkhamsted FC | Men's First Team | 15:00 KO (a) | vs. Evesham United

7 Mar | Berkhamsted FC | Development | 15:00 KO (h) | vs. Penn & Tylers Green U23

8 Mar | Berkhamsted FC | Ladies | 14:00 KO (a) | vs. Garston Ladies First

That’s it for this week.

If you’ve something useful, pass us on to your friends.

Remember, if you’re heading to the market on Sunday or just wandering the High Street, we’re all part of the same tradition that's been going for 800+ years.

The shiitake chilli oil is a new thing. Probably.

— from Berko.