2-324-072 - www.picturethepast.org.uk/Derbyshire Local Studies Libraries/Heritage Images

The Shambles, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, c1887. View showing the original wooden board 'fleshamols' (shelf flaps/window openings) of the butcher's shops. This street was named Shambles after the fleshamols on which butchers laid out their meat for sale in this area, in the 1400s. Streets called Shambles can be found in many other parts of the country, the most notable being in York, and are always associated with butcher's shops (some of the shops in York have retained their fleshamol boards). This picture is looking towards the Market Place. This gloomy, atmospheric picture illustrates how dark and cramped towns were during the Medieval period. Also of note in this picture is the channel down the middle of the lane, which would have served to take away blood and waste water from the butcher's shops.