It's October and already very wet, so your Hunter Wellingtons would be ideal for this years Stow-on-the-Wold Hose Fair being held on the 22ND October 2009. Before the market was established, trading was a haphazard business of barter where town folk of Stow relied on traders passing along the Fosse Way.
In 1476 wool was the main source of wealth and it was agreed by King Edward IV that twice a year for people of Stow and the surrounding hills to bring their sheep to be sold. The first date was to be held on the 12Th May, feast of Saints Philip and James and the second on October 24Th the feast of St Edward the Confessor. These dates are still used today to decide the horse fair.
The nature of trade has changed considerably with the decline in the wool trade, as trade in horses grew to take it's place, and with shops trading all the time in the day to day necessities, the need has fallen. However, the itinerant nature of trading has carried on with the Romanies coming in increasing numbers caring on the tradition. For, them these two dates remain as the most important social event of the year as well as a time and place to buy and sell. This fair has proven to be very popular with famous photographers, artists, and the public who enjoy seeing the traditional horse drawn caravans providing the feeling of stepping back into time.
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