The official web site of Camelford Town Council
The Royal Charter of 1259
Earl Richard (of Cornwall), one of the most powerful men in all Europe, granted a charter to Camelford very shortly after his coronation as King of the Germans in Aachen in May 1258. The charter was confirmed by the King of England (Henry III) later in 1259. This established Camelford as a borough and granted it permission for a weekly Friday market and an annual three-day fair (14th to 16th July), both good sources of revenue for the Earl and
the King, for the latter through taxation. The effects of this charter - which created a typical Cornish medieval planted town - can still be seen in the town’s topography, with the broad market place at the centre of the town containing the later market house, now the town hall. The basis of the town’s economy was agricultural with the market consisting predominantly of livestock and produce sales.
Sources: Various