Cambridge in a Regional and National Context

Chapter 6 examines Cambridge’s performance at a regional and national level. Cambridge’s position relative to other leading towns nearby, such as Ely, Bury St Edmunds, King’s Lynn, Huntingdon and St Ives, is examined. The competitiveness of its market is evaluated through assessment of its transport connections and the local charters for market and fairs in the Cambridge area. Once again new information is brought to bear on the subject; in this case the account rolls of the Merton manor in Cambridge, previously owned by the Dunning family and subsequently acquired by Walter de Merton for the endowment of Merton College, Oxford. The chapter demonstrates the dominance of Cambridge market in the local economy. The strength of this market, combined with the town’s control of the export-oriented river trade, assured its leading position in local trade and contributed to attracting investors from the local region and beyond.