There will be a different beat on the street here tomorrow when the centuries old ritual of the November 1st horse fair takes centre stage.
The last of its kind in a town which made its name and reputation from such gatherings, there really is an unavoidable feeling of earthiness from the day.
Packs Pubs and Restaurants
It bursts with atmosphere and it packs the local public houses and restaurants for the day.
A fine day is a real boon to the longevity of the fair as it can survive to close to 5pm if the weather is anyway favourable.
A few years ago the day was the worst you could imagine with prolonged, heavy downpours every couple of hours against a backdrop of a cold, sticky old drizzle and it was over by lunchtime.
Water, Wood and Stone
There have been efforts, over the years, to date the event and most have proved impossible.
The one certainty is that it dates from the establishment of the castle here in 1226 because, as a trading post it had everything going for it.
It had water and wood and stone and, as horses were a vital part of any such stronghold, it it fairly certain that trading would have been part of the scene of the day.
Last Big Event
Here’s hoping for a fine and bountiful day for the town as it’s the last big event until Christmas. If you have no business in town that day, do use the bypass as you’ll be stuck in traffic for hours otherwise.
You can contact The Maine Valley Post on… Anyone in The Maine Valley Post catchment area who would like to send us news and captioned photographs for inclusion can send them to: jreidy@mainevalleypost.com
Queries about advertising and any other matters regarding The Maine Valley Post can also be sent to that address or just ring: 087 23 59 467.
Please Note: A click on any of our adverts will reveal all you need to know about what our advertisers need to tell you.
Copyright Notice: The images and text which appear on The Maine Valley Post site remain the exclusive property of John Reidy, (unless stated otherwise) and are protected under International Copyright laws. Images or text may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of the author, John Reidy, in this instance. Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of International Copyright laws. All images are copyrighted by John Reidy 2018.