Welcome to
The Market Cross
Welcome to The Market Cross
Home of Shap Local History Society
The Heritage Centre at The Market Cross, Shap
will be open on the following days in 2024
Sunday 24th March – 10am to 4pm – Model Exhibition
Saturday 27th April – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
Saturday 25th May – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
Saturday 22nd June – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
Saturday 27th July – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
Saturday 24th August – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
Saturday 28th September – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
Saturday 26th October – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
Saturday 23rd November – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
Saturday 21st December – 10am to 12pm – Village Market
We do hope to be able to open on other days where possible. If you would like to access our archive for research, please contact us
Shap Local History Society was founded in March 2001, with the aim of collecting together and recording the vast amount of archive material relating to the parish – documents, maps, will, photographs, oral and family histories. The Society also has a monthly programme of talks from January to May, and in September and October. An annual social evening is held in November. In June and July there are outings to places of local historical interest – these have included walks round Shap, other villages such as Keld, Askham, Orton and Clifton and visits to Shap Abbey, Appleby Castle and the Mayor’s Parlour at Kendal amongst many others.
In 2002 Eden District Council leased the Market Cross building in the Main Street, Shap (formerly the library) to the Parish Council, who agreed to share the building with the Society as a Heritage Centre. A grant from the Lottery Awards for All enabled the purchase of a computer and digital recording equipment.
In 2006 a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled the Society to purchase the freehold of the building, which the Parish Council continue to share. The computer equipment was upgraded and internet access for family history research was provided.
The Heritage Centre is open on Thursday afternoons during the summer, and on Shap Farmer’s Market days (the fourth Saturday in the month) and at other times by personal request.
The current exhibition has displays which reflect the wide range of archives held, in the past exhibitions have featured Shap in Victorian Times, Shap at Work and Leisure, the Railway through Shap, the most popular have been Mardale in 2004 and Mardale Homesteads in 2010.
The Society became registered as a Charity (number 1117146) in 2006.
Books for sale
The Market Cross
Why not join Shap Local History Society – we are a small and friendly society based in a village with an amazingly long history. From vast megalithic stone monuments to a medieval abbey, ancient trackways to the main-line railway over Shap Fell, there is plenty to discover and enjoy.
The society holds monthly meetings where invited speakers give fascinating talks on local subjects or we arrange visits to historic venues in the area.
Books for sale
Are you able to make a donation – however small – to help Shap Local History Society continue their invaluable work
Are you able to make a donation – however small – to help Shap Local History Society continue their invaluable work