Market Rasen is a community and civil parish within the West Lindsey area of Lincolnshire, England. The River Rase runs through it eastern to west, roughly 13 miles (21 km) north-east from Lincoln, 18 miles (29 kilometres) east from Gainsborough and also 16 miles (26 kilometres) south-west from Grimsby. The town is understood for Market Rasen Racecourse as well as being close to the epicentre of a 2008 earthquake. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 3,904. Market Rasen is a little market town on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds. The community rests on the main road between Lincoln and Grimsby, the A46 and also gets on National Cycle Route 1 (part of EuroVelo 12) of the National Cycle Network. The place-name 'Market Rasen' is first testified in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Rase, Rasa and also Resne. The name originates from the Old English ræsn meaning 'slab', and is believed to refer to a plank bridge. The river name 'Rase' is a back-formation. Originally "Rasen", as it is understood locally, was called "East Rasen", "Rasen Parva" or "Little Rasen". The town centre has a homogeneous 19th-century redbrick appearance of generally Georgian and also Victorian design, centred on a market location with a middle ages church, restored in the 19th century. The River Rase flows through the community and is crossed by Jameson Bridge, Caistor Road Bridge as well as Crane Bridge. Market days are Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. On each Tuesday there is a public auction of products and also produce, as well as on the first Tuesday of every month, a farmers' market. Every Friday the Women's Institute holds a nation market. Market Rasen's community fire as well as police station opened up December 2005. It is one of the very first purpose-built combined fire and police stations in the UK. In 2011 it was among the communities selected for the Portas Testimonial of small-town retailing organisation.