Wellington's first market charter was granted to Giles of Erdington, lord of the manor, and is dated 1244 (See citation in external links) and a market still exists today. The market had an open-sided market hall by 1680 - and possibly much earlier - but this was dismantled c.1805 (See Citation in external links). In 1841, a market company formed to purchase the market rights from Lord Forester in 1856. Several years later in 1848, the company built a town hall with the butter market below, creating a permanent covered home for traders.