The Westbury Hill Fair, or Westbury Hill Sheep Fair, was an annual fair which took place on the first Tuesday in September on high ground at Westbury, Wiltshire, England, near the north-western corner of Salisbury Plain. The main business was the sale of sheep. The fair was well-established by the mid 19th century and had come to an end by 1942.
The origins of the Westbury Hill Fair are uncertain, but according to one source a bequest was made in 1775 to provide a guinea once a year to pay for a sermon to warn the young people of the nearby village of Bratton against the dangers of the Hill Fair. This is evidence that by then an annual fair already existed in some form.[1]
In all the records of it, the chief business at the fair was the sale of sheep, and as with all country fairs there were also other entertainments and goods for sale. The site of the fair was downland near the Westbury White Horse, known as Westbury Hill,[1] a slow uphill climb if coming up from the town below, or a long journey if travelling across Salisbury Plain. The breeds of sheep traded included the Hampshire Down, the Southdown, and in earlier days the Wiltshire Horn. In its heyday, the fair rivalled a similar sheep fair held at Wilton. The fair at Westbury benefited from the opening in 1853 of the Westbury station on the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway, and as Westbury became established as the junction of the Reading to Taunton line with what is now the Wessex Main Line, its transport links improved. However, the Wilton sheep fair also grew during the 19th century, with 40,000 sheep reported from there in 1883, a figure rising to some 95,000 in 1901.[2]
The Hill Fair tankard of 1862, with inscription reading "Awarded to MR. STEPHEN SAUNDERS as the Purchaser of the largest number of Sheep at WESTBURY HILL FAIR. SEPTR. 2ND. 1862. The gift of the Proprietor of the Fair"
Notice was given of a Westbury Hill Sheep Fair in September in the Salisbury and Winchester Journal of 20 August 1853.[3] In September 1862 the owner of the Westbury Hill Fair gave a silver tankard (pictured) to the buyer of the largest number of sheep. On 11 September 1868 The Welshman reported that "This week several important fairs and markets have been held, and from each and all the report is a very dull trade, at barely the recently improved rates. Thus at Westbury-hill fair there was a very large supply of sheep – the largest ever known but the trade was heavy, and a clearance could not be made."[4]
In the 1870s, the fair was reported as a large annual event and was held on the first Tuesday in September.[5][6][7] In September 1872 the Salisbury and Winchester Journal reported the sale of good lambs and ewes from Imber, Norton Bavant, Knook, Chitterne, Heytesbury, and Sutton Veny, with "most of the primest of the ram Iambs making 6 guineas each".[8] In 1882 applications for entry to the Westbury Hill Sheep Fair were to be made to Mr. W. Beaven at Pound Farm, Westbury.[9]
In 1890, the Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette noted that the fair was shrinking in size and reported that "trade was dull and slow", but Mr Justice Lopes had done well in making thirty shillings each for a hundred mixed lambs.[10] By the end of the 19th century, it was noticed that the fair caused low attendance at local schools, including that at nearby Dilton Marsh.[11]
Twentieth century declineedit
In the early 20th century, the fair continued to decline, with only some 20,000 sheep passing through it every year.[12] In 1912 a notice for the fair appeared in the London Standard, announcing "Westbury Hill Fair: Pedigree Hampshire Down Sheep a Speciality".[13]
On 6 September 1924, a local newspaper reported "Successful Hill Fair. — Westbury Hill Fair was held in ideal weather on Tuesday, and attracted not only a large company of farmers and dealers but also a large number of the fair sex and children."[14] At this time, sheep were commonly sold on a handshake, with the price to be paid later. Horses were also traded, with some being sent from Ireland by boat and train, to be walked up the hill from Westbury railway station. Some local schools were closed on the day of the fair. Gypsies camped for the summer at Beggar’s Knoll to work on the hill farms and came to the fair to sell clothes pegs and paper flowers. Dealers came for the day to sell crockery, cutlery, and other wares.[15]
In 1939, one of the auctioneers for the Fair, held on 5 September, was Dart & Son of Warminster.[16] In 1940, in the early months of the Second World War, the Land Utilisation Survey noted that "Westbury's Sheep Fair today handles less than 10,000 sheep".[17] That year’s Fair took place on 3 September 1940, and another of the firms of auctioneers, Lavington & Hooper, advertised a few days before that 1,650 Hampshire Downs had been entered with them for sale.[18] In 1941, the same auctioneers advertised their sale at the Fair to start at 8:30 am on 2 September, with 1,275 Hampshire Down and cross-bred Ewes and Lambs having been entered by 16 August.[19] A retrospective in the Wiltshire Times of 29 August 1942 noted that
"In September came the last event of our year — Westbury Hill Sheep Fair. Thousands of sheep changed hands, and the village roads were frequently blocked with flocks moving slowly to their destination. Sheep-washing in Bratton stream ceased nearly thirty years ago. Even before the war, Westbury Hill Fair had dwindled into a comparatively small event."[20]
After that, no traces of the fair being held have been found.[21]
Notesedit
^ abCathy Sedgwick, Flockmasters and shepherds of Bratton at wiltshire-opc.org.uk, accessed 8 January 2018
^"Wilton". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
^"The Country Markets" in The Welshman dated 11 September 1868, p. 2
^Hugh Chisholm, ed., Encyclopædia Britannica (1910-11), volume 28, p. 536: "In 1875 a yearly sheep fair took place on the first Tuesday in September..."
^Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette – Thursday 4 September 1890 at wiltshire-opc.org.uk : "This annual fair, which was formerly of far greater dimensions than now, was held on Tuesday, when the number of sheep penned was much below the average. There was a good attendance of dealers, but trade on the whole was dull and slow, especially for lambs, which made from 3s. to 4s. per head less than last year. There was a fair demand for ewes, which, however, made from 1s. to 2s. per head less than last year. Among some of the best sales effected we noticed the following:- Lord Justice Lopes, who made 30s. per head for 100 mixed lambs..."
^"County School, Dilton Marsh". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
^'Westbury: Fairs and markets', in A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 8: Warminster, Westbury and Whorwellsdown Hundreds (1965), pp. 175-176, accessed 30 May 2010
^London Standard Newspaper Archives, 2 September 1912, p. 3
^"Westbury Hill Fair" in Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 6 September 1924, p. 5
^Kathleen White, "Hill Farms", (Bratton History Association, 1991), brattonhistory.co.uk, accessed 6 March 2021
^"DART & SON PRELIMINARY NOTICE. WESTBURY HILL FAIR. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th." in Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 19 August 1939, p. 6
^Laurence Dudley Stamp, The Land of Britain: the report of the Land Utilisation Survey (1940), Parts 87-89, p. 200L
^"LAVINGTON & HOOPER SALE ON TUESDAY NEXT. WESTBURY HILL FAIR." in Wiltshire Times, Saturday 31 August 1940, p. 6
^ "WESTBURY HILL FAIR" in Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 16 August 1941, p. 6
^"Holidays at Home", in Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 29 August 1942, p. 4
^Searches of the British Newspaper Archive find no mention of the fair after 1942, as at 6 March 2021.
November 03, 2023
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The Westbury Hill Fair or Westbury Hill Sheep Fair was an annual fair which took place on the first Tuesday in September on high ground at Westbury Wiltshire England near the north western corner of Salisbury Plain The main business was the sale of sheep The fair was well established by the mid 19th century and had come to an end by 1942 The fairground was above the Westbury White HorseHistory edit nbsp Wiltshire Horn sheep nbsp Hampshire Down ewesThe origins of the Westbury Hill Fair are uncertain but according to one source a bequest was made in 1775 to provide a guinea once a year to pay for a sermon to warn the young people of the nearby village of Bratton against the dangers of the Hill Fair This is evidence that by then an annual fair already existed in some form 1 In all the records of it the chief business at the fair was the sale of sheep and as with all country fairs there were also other entertainments and goods for sale The site of the fair was downland near the Westbury White Horse known as Westbury Hill 1 a slow uphill climb if coming up from the town below or a long journey if travelling across Salisbury Plain The breeds of sheep traded included the Hampshire Down the Southdown and in earlier days the Wiltshire Horn In its heyday the fair rivalled a similar sheep fair held at Wilton The fair at Westbury benefited from the opening in 1853 of the Westbury station on the Wilts Somerset and Weymouth Railway and as Westbury became established as the junction of the Reading to Taunton line with what is now the Wessex Main Line its transport links improved However the Wilton sheep fair also grew during the 19th century with 40 000 sheep reported from there in 1883 a figure rising to some 95 000 in 1901 2 nbsp The Hill Fair tankard of 1862 withinscription reading Awarded to MR STEPHEN SAUNDERS as thePurchaser of the largest number of Sheep at WESTBURY HILL FAIR SEPTR 2ND 1862 The gift of theProprietor of the Fair Notice was given of a Westbury Hill Sheep Fair in September in the Salisbury and Winchester Journal of 20 August 1853 3 In September 1862 the owner of the Westbury Hill Fair gave a silver tankard pictured to the buyer of the largest number of sheep On 11 September 1868 The Welshman reported that This week several important fairs and markets have been held and from each and all the report is a very dull trade at barely the recently improved rates Thus at Westbury hill fair there was a very large supply of sheep the largest ever known but the trade was heavy and a clearance could not be made 4 In the 1870s the fair was reported as a large annual event and was held on the first Tuesday in September 5 6 7 In September 1872 the Salisbury and Winchester Journal reported the sale of good lambs and ewes from Imber Norton Bavant Knook Chitterne Heytesbury and Sutton Veny with most of the primest of the ram Iambs making 6 guineas each 8 In 1882 applications for entry to the Westbury Hill Sheep Fair were to be made to Mr W Beaven at Pound Farm Westbury 9 In 1890 the Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette noted that the fair was shrinking in size and reported that trade was dull and slow but Mr Justice Lopes had done well in making thirty shillings each for a hundred mixed lambs 10 By the end of the 19th century it was noticed that the fair caused low attendance at local schools including that at nearby Dilton Marsh 11 Twentieth century decline editIn the early 20th century the fair continued to decline with only some 20 000 sheep passing through it every year 12 In 1912 a notice for the fair appeared in the London Standard announcing Westbury Hill Fair Pedigree Hampshire Down Sheep a Speciality 13 On 6 September 1924 a local newspaper reported Successful Hill Fair Westbury Hill Fair was held in ideal weather on Tuesday and attracted not only a large company of farmers and dealers but also a large number of the fair sex and children 14 At this time sheep were commonly sold on a handshake with the price to be paid later Horses were also traded with some being sent from Ireland by boat and train to be walked up the hill from Westbury railway station Some local schools were closed on the day of the fair Gypsies camped for the summer at Beggar s Knoll to work on the hill farms and came to the fair to sell clothes pegs and paper flowers Dealers came for the day to sell crockery cutlery and other wares 15 In 1939 one of the auctioneers for the Fair held on 5 September was Dart amp Son of Warminster 16 In 1940 in the early months of the Second World War the Land Utilisation Survey noted that Westbury s Sheep Fair today handles less than 10 000 sheep 17 That year s Fair took place on 3 September 1940 and another of the firms of auctioneers Lavington amp Hooper advertised a few days before that 1 650 Hampshire Downs had been entered with them for sale 18 In 1941 the same auctioneers advertised their sale at the Fair to start at 8 30 am on 2 September with 1 275 Hampshire Down and cross bred Ewes and Lambs having been entered by 16 August 19 A retrospective in the Wiltshire Times of 29 August 1942 noted that In September came the last event of our year Westbury Hill Sheep Fair Thousands of sheep changed hands and the village roads were frequently blocked with flocks moving slowly to their destination Sheep washing in Bratton stream ceased nearly thirty years ago Even before the war Westbury Hill Fair had dwindled into a comparatively small event 20 After that no traces of the fair being held have been found 21 Notes edit a b Cathy Sedgwick Flockmasters and shepherds of Bratton at wiltshire opc org uk accessed 8 January 2018 Wilton Wiltshire Community History Wiltshire Council Retrieved 2 May 2023 Salisbury and Winchester Journal 20 August 1853 The Country Markets in The Welshman dated 11 September 1868 p 2 Hugh Chisholm ed Encyclopaedia Britannica 1910 11 volume 28 p 536 In 1875 a yearly sheep fair took place on the first Tuesday in September Ralph Bernard Pugh A History of the County of Wiltshire 1953 Edward Robert Kelly Wiltshire 1875 p 335 On the Downs a sheep fair is held annually on the first Tuesday in September Salisbury and Winchester Journal Saturday 7 September 1872 at wiltshire opc org uk accessed 8 January 2018 Question Westbury Hill Fair Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre Wiltshire Council 4 July 2011 Retrieved 2 May 2023 Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette Thursday 4 September 1890 at wiltshire opc org uk This annual fair which was formerly of far greater dimensions than now was held on Tuesday when the number of sheep penned was much below the average There was a good attendance of dealers but trade on the whole was dull and slow especially for lambs which made from 3s to 4s per head less than last year There was a fair demand for ewes which however made from 1s to 2s per head less than last year Among some of the best sales effected we noticed the following Lord Justice Lopes who made 30s per head for 100 mixed lambs County School Dilton Marsh Wiltshire Community History Wiltshire Council Retrieved 21 January 2018 Westbury Fairs and markets in A History of the County of Wiltshire Volume 8 Warminster Westbury and Whorwellsdown Hundreds 1965 pp 175 176 accessed 30 May 2010 London Standard Newspaper Archives 2 September 1912 p 3 Westbury Hill Fair in Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser Saturday 6 September 1924 p 5 Kathleen White Hill Farms Bratton History Association 1991 brattonhistory co uk accessed 6 March 2021 DART amp SON PRELIMINARY NOTICE WESTBURY HILL FAIR TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5th in Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser Saturday 19 August 1939 p 6 Laurence Dudley Stamp The Land of Britain the report of the Land Utilisation Survey 1940 Parts 87 89 p 200L LAVINGTON amp HOOPER SALE ON TUESDAY NEXT WESTBURY HILL FAIR in Wiltshire Times Saturday 31 August 1940 p 6 WESTBURY HILL FAIR in Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser Saturday 16 August 1941 p 6 Holidays at Home in Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser Saturday 29 August 1942 p 4 Searches of the British Newspaper Archive find no mention of the fair after 1942 as at 6 March 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Westbury Hill Fair amp oldid 1152889480, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
