FAIRES AND MARKETTS.
FAIRES. The most celebrated faire in North Wiltshire for sheep is at
Castle Combe, on St. George’s Day (23 April), whither sheep-masters doe
come as far as from Northamptonshire. Here is a good crosse and
market-house; and heretofore was a staple of wooll, as John Scrope,
Esq. Lord of this mannour, affirmes to me. The market here now is very
inconsiderable. [Part of the cross and market-house remain, but there
is not any wool fair, market, or trade at Castle Combe, which is a
retired, secluded village, of a romantic character, seated in a narrow
valley, with steep acclivities, covered with woods. The house, gardens,
&c. of George Poulett Scrope, Esq. M.P., the Lord of the Manor, are
peculiar features in this scene.—J. B.]
At Wilton is a very noted faire for sheepe, on St. George’s Day also;
and another on St. Giles’s Day, September the first. Graziers, &c. from
Buckinghamshire come hither to buy sheep.
Wilton was the head town of the county till Bishop Bingham built the
Bridge at Harnham which turned away the old Roman way (in the
Legier-booke of Wilton called the heþepath, i. e. the army path), and
brought the trade to New Sarum, where it hath ever since continued.
At Chilmarke is a good faire for sheep on St. Margaret’s day, 20th
July.
Burford, near Salisbury, a faire on Lammas day; ’tis an eminent faire
for wooll and sheep, the eve is for wooll and cheese.
At the city of New Sarum is a very great faire for cloath at
Twelf-tyde, called Twelfe Market. In the parish of All-Cannings is St
Anne’s Hill, vulgarly called Tann Hill, where every yeare on St. Anne’s
Day (26th July), is kept a great fair within an old camp, called
Oldbury.* The chiefe commodities are sheep, oxen, and fineries. This
faire would bee more considerable, but that Bristow Faire happens at
the same time.
* [Aubrey errs in stating “Oldbury Camp” to be on St. Anne’s Hill;
those places being nearly two miles apart.—J. B.]
At the Devises severall faires; but the greatest is at the Green there,
at Michaelmas: it continues about a week.
MARKETTS.—Warminster is exceeding much frequented for a round
corn-market on Saturday. Hither come the best teemes of horses, and it
is much resorted to by buyers. Good horses for the coach: some of 20li.
+ It is held to be the greatest corn-market by much in the West of
England. My bayliif has assured me that twelve or fourteen score loades
of corne on market-dayes are brought thither: the glovers that work in
their shops at the towne’s end doe tell the carts as they come in; but
this market of late yeares has decayed; the reason whereof I had from
my honored friend Henry Millburne, Esq. Recorder of Monmouth. [The
reason assigned is, that Mr. Millburne “encouraged badgars” to take
corn from Monmouthshire to Bristol; whereupon the bakers there, finding
the Welsh corn was better, and could be more cheaply conveyed to them
than that grown in Wiltshire, forsook Warminster Market.—J. B.]
My bayliff, an ancient servant to our family, assures me that, about
1644, six quarters of wheat would stand, as they terme it, Hindon
Market, which is now perhaps the second best market after Warminster in
this county.
I have heard old men say long since that the market at Castle Combe was
considerable in the time of the staple: the market day is Munday. Now
only some eggs and butter, &c.
Marleborough Market is Saturday: one of the greatest markets for cheese
in the west of England. Here doe reside factors for the cheesemongers
of London.
King Edgar granted a charter to Steeple Ashton. [Aubrey has transcribed
the charter at length, from the original Latin.—J. B.] The towne was
burnt about the yeare ……. before which time it was a market-town; but
out of the ashes of this sprang up the market at Lavington, which
flourisheth still. [Lavington market has long been discontinued in
consequence of its vicinity to the Devizes, which has superior business
attractions.—J. B.]
At Highworth was the greatest market, on Wednesday, for fatt cattle in
our county, which was furnished by the rich vale; and the Oxford
butchers furnished themselves here. In the late civill warres it being
made a garrison for the King, the graziers, to avoid the rudeness of
the souldiers, quitted that market, and went to Swindon, four miles
distant, where the market on Munday continues still, which before was a
petty, inconsiderable one. Also, the plague was at Highworth before the
late warres, which was very prejudiciall to the market there; by reason
whereof all the countrey sent their cattle to Swindown market, as they
did before to Highworth.
Devises.—On Thursday a very plentifull market of every thing: but the
best for fish in the county. They bring fish from Poole hither, which
is sent from hence to Oxford.
[At this place in Aubrey’s manuscript is another “digression”; being
“Remarks taken from Henry Milburne, Esq. concerning Husbandry, Trade,
&c. in Herefordshire”.—J. B.]