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South Molton Market

The South West's largest slaughter sheep market was established over 200 years ago.

The market is unique in that all livestock is sold through a ring, as opposed to pens.

The surrounding area is excellent sheep country, so as well as keeping an ancient tradition alive and offering employment to local people, the market provides an important service to farmers, who sell their sheep there and use it as an opportunity to socialise.

Forthcoming South Molton Markets

Key benefits of South Molton Livestock Market

  • Every Thursday there is a sale of cull ewes/rams at 10.30am, followed by prime lambs/hoggs.
  • Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. Collections of Cull and Clean Cattle to go direct to Abattoir. TB Clean & Restricted Cattle Taken. No 6 Day Standstill as slaughter collection only. Standard Deductions per Cull Cow including Levies being just £24.97 plus VAT.
  • Average weekly entry of 500 cull ewes/rams, 1,400 prime lambs/hoggs.
  • Low commission rates.
  • Haulage of stock to the market can be arranged.
  • TB Pre-movement Test Exempt Market subject to six day standstill restriction.
  • Special catalogued seasonal sales of breeding/store sheep and seasonal sales of store cattle.
  • The market is run by Stags experienced auctioneers who know their job inside out and achieve the best sales results.
  • The sales are highly publicised using widespread national and regional advertising and marketing initiatives, as well as the Stags network of 21 offices, the internet and Stags own high ranking website.
  • Excellent attendance figures, including buyers from the Midlands and North of England who help ensure competitive trade every week.

An excellent reputation attracting buyers and vendors weekly

The team at South Molton market work hard to achieve high attendance at all their sales by continuously building on the market's reputation for achieving high prices. In addition, extensive national and regional advertising, comprehensive mailing lists, a top ranking website and a vast network of personal contacts attracts buyers from as far afield as the Midlands and North of England.

Auctioning livestock since the 1850s

Stags has been auctioning livestock in South Molton since the1850s, when Dobbs & Son and Edwin Cochram, two of Stags' founding firms, sold livestock in the market by the railway station - auctioneers started markets wherever there was a station on the newly built railways. In fact at one time Stags had 52 markets throughout the South West. In those days sales in the parish were announced by the local vicar in his sermon after the births, marriages and deaths. The vicar would state which cattle, sheep and implements were to be sold, assured the congregation that the vendor was a churchgoer and would ask everyone to attend the sale. For his announcement, the vicar would be paid a guinea by one of the auctioneers.

Livestock Entries Form