Dunster Yarn Market

About

Dunster Yarn Market is an octagonal market hall of 1609, built almost entirely of timber in the middle of the High Street when the village prospered from cloth woven in nearby mills. Repaired in 1647, it gave traders shelter from wind and rain and security for their goods, with projecting eaves that kept buyers dry as they inspected the cloth. Gabled windows light the open interior, and a central stone pillar topped by a bell turret carries the roof. The National Trust manages it for English Heritage, and Dunster Butter Cross and Gallox Bridge are both a short walk away. Reviewers point out damage said to have been caused by a Civil War cannonball and the view up the street to Dunster Castle. A visit takes only a few minutes, so pair it with the village's shops and other historic buildings; the Exmoor National Park Authority runs bookable guided walks of Dunster. Dogs on leads are welcome.

Historic SiteDog friendlyDogs on leads

Open in daylightFrom English Heritage's calendar

Open any reasonable time in daylight

From English Heritage's published calendar, updated 1 October 2026, with dates up to 16 March 2027.

Opening times may change at short notice.

Open any reasonable time during daylight hours, all year, on Dunster High Street.

Free to everyone. Managed by the National Trust for English Heritage.

The Exmoor National Park Authority offers bookable guided walks of Dunster that cover its historic sites.

Public toilets are next to the village car park; Dunster has plenty of shops and restaurants.

Accessibility: Not confirmed; no access page is published. The Yarn Market stands on the High Street in the village centre.

Parking: No car park of its own. The village car park (postcode TA24 6SE, 109 spaces, not managed by English Heritage) is about 100m away: up to 1 hour free, up to 2 hours £1.50, up to 4 hours £2.50, all day £4.70, coins only.

Photo: Michael Garlick. CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunster,_The_Yarn_Market_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4490671.jpg. Resized for display.

Dogs at the location: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome.

Dog walks in the grounds: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs on leads are welcome at this open structure on the High Street.

Leads: On leads.

PricingFreeFree for all visitors

Free entry for everyone

Entry

Free for everyone

Pricing details

Free to everyone; open structure on the High Street.

ParkingNo car park

Arrive on foot, by bike or by public transport.

Parking details

No car park of its own. The village car park (postcode TA24 6SE, 109 spaces, not managed by English Heritage) is about 100m away: up to 1 hour free, up to 2 hours £1.50, up to 4 hours £2.50, all day £4.70, coins only.

Driving arrival: Dunster Steep car park (Google listing), the village car park at TA24 6SE named by English Heritage. Public toilets are next to the car park.