Fayres Throughout the Years
Blaring music, vibrant colours, thrilling rides and clouds of pink, sticky candy floss. Many of us are familiar with the headache-inducing characteristics of a modern-day fair. For others, locally produced food and drink, regional crafts, and home-grown music alongside toned-down fairground rides might make up their annual fair experiences. Although the two versions have apparently taken different evolutionary paths, they do have many common roots. So, next time you or your children are whizzing down a helter-skelter or trying your luck with Hook a Duck, take a moment to think back to the origins of our much-loved UK institution – the annual fair.
Many of our annual fairs have their origins way back in the twelfth century, as Charter Fairs. These were simply fairs which were allowed to take place by virtue of the consent of the King. These days, we need to apply to the local council if we want to close a road for a festival or fair, but nine hundred years ago, it was the King himself who gave permission for a fair to take place, by none other than a royal charter. These began as local gatherings and soon became a place for trade guilds to congregate and sell their wares.
In the days before clocks were readily available to tell the time, the Church calendar was an important way of navigating the year. Thus, saints’ days were often chosen as the date on which to hold a fair. Holy days (Christmas and Easter) were preceded by a fast (Advent and Lent) and ended in celebrations of feasting, dancing and merrymaking. Some fairs became well known for specific products, e.g. woollen fairs, wool being a building block of mediaeval wealth, and some were linked in with the rural calendar, e.g. blessing or harvesting the crops, such as the St Andrew’s Lammas Fair. Over two thousand charters were given during the reigns of Kings John and Henry III alone, and similar charters were given to the people of Scotland by Scottish kings. It would be interesting to find out if the origins of your annual fair date back to one of these.
These Charter Fairs began life as small events which enabled local trading, but their popularity grew over time and throughout the heart of the Middle Ages, they became bustling fairs, lasting several days and welcoming farmers, tavern keepers, fairground attractions, craftsmen and circus performers. Some became renowned all over Europe and the Near East, and merchants travelled from far and wide to trade and enjoy the general revelry. The largest of these was Stourbridge Fair, in Cambridge, which ran from 1211 all the way through to 1933. Stourbridge Fair was patronised by authors and poets alike and, from its humble origins as a small fete at a leper chapel, reached the dizzying heights of being the greatest Fair in the world, according to Daniel Defoe.
Another Fair which attracted many overseas visitors was Scarborough Fair, as referenced in the popular ballad. It lasted for over a month in late summer, and although its glory faded before that of Stourbridge was, nevertheless a huge and bustling cauldron of trade, enterprise and entertainment. Scarborough still holds an annual Fair which is now a celebration of local arts and crafts, music and food.
Annual fairs are a part of the rich tapestry of our British history and culture. Many of us grew up attending a local fair, and still today many young people look forward to the fair coming to town, and there is much anticipation as rides are set up, folk from neighbouring towns flock in, and children save their pennies to spend on a fun day of entertainment which happens only once a year. Some of these events have now diversified into craft fairs, with stalls from many local craft businesses promoting and selling their unique and stunningly crafted products. If you are just starting a fledgling crafting business, maybe you could consider getting a spot at one of these. If so, it’s useful to be aware beforehand of some craft fair rules and regulations.
Most of the craft fair rules and regulations pertaining to the event you attend will be the responsibility of the organiser, such as obtaining any permits required and informing you as a stall holder of their contact details and what will be provided within the booking fee. However, you will probably be asked to have the correct public and product liability insurance in place and be requested to provide proof of this. While public and product liability insurance is not a legal requirement, it is called for by most fair or market organisers, and it is good practice to have it in place anyway. Public liability insurance covers you for any claims made against you for harm or damage by a member of the public. For example, slipping on the edge of a tablecloth or tripping over a cable. Product liability insurance covers you for any claims made that harm has been caused by one of your products. Even if it is not your fault, the insurance will still cover legal and compensation costs.
You will need to complete an appropriate risk assessment beforehand, and this, in addition to all the regulations you adhere to, which are specific to your products, should mean that accidents do not happen. However, the whole purpose of public and product liability insurance is that it covers you for the unforeseen. We’re a family-run business and communicate with each of our customers directly…no long call waits to speak to an anonymous call handler. So, drop us a line or pick up the phone, and either Sam or Naomi will be here to answer your questions and hear about your business.
Armed with all you need to know about craft fair rules and regulations and with a stunning collection of handmade products to sell, we hope you can book a spot at a local or regional fair soon and be a part of the rich heritage of the medieval Charter Fairs.