Shambles means slaughter house, and in 1651, John Bond, a butcher, leased this area together with two cottages and a market was born. Since then, this historic market place has been at the centre of town life. In 1766, Stroud cloth workers started a riot here because they couldn't afford to buy bread. The ringleaders were later hanged. Today, The Shambles is little changed except that alfresco café tables and chairs have replaced market stalls.