How the once-popular Bury Fair, in Bury St Edmunds, changed from its inception in 1272 to its abolition in 1871

Bury Fair was, at one time, one of the most popular fairs in the country – though not quite as large as its near neighbour down the road at Cambridge, Stourbridge Fair.

A grant for a market was given in 1135 by Henry Ist, but Bury Fair’s origins date from 1272, when Henry III granted a charter to the Abbot of the Abbey of St Edmund for a fair to be held in late September.

This would become known as St Matthews Fair, three days before and three days after the feast of St Matthew on September 21.

The importance of this to the town’s residents and merchants would soon become apparent, as it was outside of the Abbey’s curtilage, though still under the Abbey’s jurisdiction.

The site chosen was that of Le Mustowe, today’s Angel Hill. It soon attracted traders from far and wide, the Abbey benefiting from the tolls extracted from the traders.

There was even a court to hear disputes known as Pied Powdre (from dusty feet), though the traders much preferred to have cases for debts etc heard in the Abbot’s Court at the Abbey, rather than in the town court at the Toll House.

The townspeople and all within a mile circumference of the Abbey, known as the Banleuca, were subject to the Abbot as laid out in the original charter, his steward employed to keep the peace within the town and ensure that all of the abbey’s rights and privileges were observed.

However in 1327, with the grim demise of Edward II, the townspeople rebelled, attacked the Abbey itself and carried away the charter granted by Henry III. The then Abbot Richard De Draughton, imprisoned by the rioters, was compelled to issue a new charter favouring the insurgents, later to be repelled.

Over time, merchants attending the fair from afar started to bring in exotic goods such as silks, damasks, perfumes and jewellery etc. Gradually, the fair was attracting the better sort of person. So much so, it became a marriage mart, where couples might expect to meet potential marriage partners.

The most famous married couple that visited the fair on a regular basis were the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, Charles and Mary Brandon, the latter better known as The Queen of France, something she emphasised to those meeting her at their magnificent pavilion where they literally held court. The Suffolks had been practically banished to Westhorpe some 15 miles from Bury St Edmunds, after their controversial marriage not sanctioned by Henry VIII.

Where there was wealth there would be unsavoury characters, such as hawkers, pedlars, thieves, pickpockets and prostitutes. These were dealt with mercilessly: the pillory, stocks, loss of fingers and even hands and, of course, more than the occasional whipping.

With the dissolution of the Abbey in 1539, the town experienced greater freedom and in the 18th century the fair started to have various exhibitions of wild animals and bizarre creatures.

In 1739, a stuffed chimpanzee, a jackal, an orangutan and a ram with six legs were to be seen, while in 1782 a two-headed Heffer, of all things. In 1815 a Mr Wombwell brought his two lions, Wallace and Hero, to show off but perhaps the weirdest regular attraction was a Mrs Biffin, born without arms or legs, she did everything with her mouth.

When the fair was on, the town benefited by the business it created – you could say very similar to the popular Christmas Fayre held for many years in Bury until recently.

For the ‘well-to-do’ genteel society, a visit to the Concert Room at the Market Cross was a must – see and be-seen in your finery. There was even a comedy play by Thomas Shadwell called Bury Fair. Though written in 1689, it would become synonymous with Bury.

In due course it became obvious that the fair was no longer in use to what it had been intentioned for: lascivious and bawdy behaviour, drinking to excess and rumbustiousness were becoming the norm.

The modern-day funfair with swing-boats, carousels and rifle ranges had taken over, much to the chagrin of the local residents who eventually petitioned the mayor, John Ion, for the fair to cease. So by the Provision of Fairs Act of 1871 the home secretary, Henry Winterbotham, on behalf of Parliament, abolished Bury Fair. Definitely the end of an era.