760 th Chulmleigh Fair getting started

The opening night of Chulmleigh Fair, the street party about to start the evening getting going, the crowd waiting on the arrival fo the Queen and the Glove to announce the opening!

The glove was given to allow the fair to commence in 1253! and has taken place in some form or other since then, the war years saw small gatherings and the more recent years have seen streets full over flowing! The opening night has a money scramble, coins used to be heated and tossed to the street urchins, when I was catching coins in the early and mid 70's they were coppers and if they hit you they hurt, but you got money!!!! They are still coppers and you get called in by age so all ages get a chance! most of mine was spent on sweets and short term toys like water balloons, or potato guns.

I no longer dance until the music stops, or pub crawl round all three pubs! but my kids love the fair and we try to get there every other year or so.