Grantham's charming market square

Grantham's market square sits at the historic heart of the Lincolnshire town, a triangular cobbled space that has been the focus of trade for more than 800 years. The town was granted a market charter in the medieval period, and stalls still set up here on Saturdays selling fresh produce, baked goods, plants and local crafts, while a farmers' market runs on selected dates through the year.

The square is dominated by the Conduit, an elegant little stone monument built in the 16th century to mark the end of the freshwater supply piped down from Grantham's outlying springs. Around it stand a mix of Georgian and Victorian buildings that today house cafes, independent shops and pubs, including some of the town's older coaching inns. A bronze statue of Sir Isaac Newton, by William Theed, looks down from nearby St Peter's Hill Green, a reminder that Grantham was where the future scientist went to school.

From the square it is an easy walk to St Wulfram's Church, whose spire is one of the tallest in England, and to the Guildhall arts centre. The pedestrianised High Street and Westgate lead off the square, lined with chain stores and independents. For visitors arriving by train, the market square is roughly ten minutes on foot from Grantham station, making it an easy stop on the East Coast Main Line.