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HOPCROFT BAKERY

October 19, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Market Drayton, England

Hopcroft Gingerbread (bbc.com)

Hopcroft Gingerbread (bbc.com)

Gingerbread cookies are one of the holiday season’s great culinary traditions.  Gingerbread was probably introduced to Europe as early as the 17th century, but did not become popularized in Christmas cookie form until much later.  The earliest recorded major producer of gingerbread was a bakery in the west England town of Market Drayton, which was making gingerbread cookies at least as far back as 1793.  In the early 19th century, at least four large bakeries in the town were producing the increasingly popular Christmas pastry.

Market Drayton would later claim, with some merit, to be the home of gingerbread.  By the end of the 1800s, Market Drayton gingerbread could be found in homes all over the British Isles at Christmas time.  Market Drayton gingerbread became a major English tradition which persisted well into the 20th century.  In the 1980s, the Hopcroft family of Market Drayton, who were known for producing some of the most popular gingerbread treats, took the holiday treat to a new level.

Gingerbread Shop (www.deeatthecarlton.blogspot)

Gingerbread Shop (www.deeatthecarlton.blogspot)

After perfecting a gingerbread formula that permitted greater versatility, the Hopcrofts began manufacturing all kinds of new gingerbread specialty items. Gingerbread people, gingerbread animals, gingerbread message cookies, and so on began appearing on store shelves all over England.  They have since developed the identity as upscale gingerbread cookies, and are now sold in some of England’s finest stores, such as Marks and Spencers.  The Hopcrofts now ship their gingerbread cookies to points around the globe.

The Hopcroft bakery is now officially known as the Image on Food company, which maintains several gingerbread production facilities in and around Market Drayton, approximately a hundred and thirty five miles northwest of London. The Hopcrofts still operate in part out of The Bread Bin, where some batches of cookies are made for local sale (an early African Biscuit Machine is also on display here).  Web: www.imageonfood.co.uk (official tourism website of Shropshire)

Filed Under: Christmas Tagged With: British Isles

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About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

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Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

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Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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