South Molton will mark the restoration of its historic market building on Saturday 4 July 2026, celebrating the reopening of the Pannier Market roof with a day of free events. The celebration, known as Heritage Day, will coincide with the official opening of the roof at 11:00am and includes a mix of cultural activities across the market and the Assembly Rooms. The project received funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, supported by National Lottery players.
Activities across the town
The free family event runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm and features a variety of attractions. In the Pannier Market, visitors can enjoy audio-visual oral histories, a heritage quiz, and see old and new poems displayed on a big screen. A guided Heritage Tour starts at 9:45am from South Molton Museum, offering a look at the town’s history and its civic spaces. Downstairs, the Assembly Rooms will host refreshments, craft workshops, and a screening of the film Coming Out of Lockdown. Visitors can also learn about local wildlife by joining Save Our Swifts.
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Entertainment continues throughout the morning and afternoon. Performances will include the Charter Song by students from South Molton United and Community Primary Schools, alongside Market Scenes Reimagined from South Molton Community College. A circus skills workshop is scheduled to run from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Those who attend will have the chance to seal their memories of the day by participating in a time capsule and clay workshops, ensuring their contributions are preserved for the future. The organizers note that the restored roof offers more than just structural safety for the traders and community groups who use the building, but it also preserves the atmosphere of everyday interactions that define the market’s role in the town.
Adam Nichols, the Pannier Market Manager, described the occasion as a significant milestone. “This is a very special moment for South Molton Pannier Market,” he said. “The roof restoration protects the building, but it also protects everything that happens underneath it, the traders, community groups, families and everyday conversations that make the market such an important part of South Molton life.” Andrew Coates, Town Clerk at South Molton Town Council, echoed this sentiment. “South Molton Town Council is delighted to mark the opening of the restored Pannier Market roof with a day that celebrates both the town’s heritage and its future,” Coates stated. He added that the project allowed for conservation work on one of the town’s most important public buildings.
