Bampton Charter Fair

Thursday 29th October to Sunday 1st November 2009

“Every effort will be made to carry out the programme as advertised, however, the organisers give no guarantee that the artists will perform as detailed or that all the events will take place.”

751st Bampton Charter Fair: Programme

Thursday 29th. Oct 2009

Everyone is invited to help create a really special atmosphere by dressing up in medieval garb, letting their hair down and joining in a day of music, merriment and magic.

09.00 onwards 

SALE VIEWING - of ponies and sale items at Luttrell Farm with licensed bar from 10.00am

STREET STALLS - over 100 market stalls spread throughout the town selling all sorts of goodies from near and far  - from Mediterranean olives and Peruvian silver to juggling stuff, local sausages and hogs pudding. Take a stroll through  Brook Street/Briton Street, Back Street,  Newton Square, Luke Street, Station Road and the War Memorial area. (see map)

BAMPTON FAIR INFORMATION & SOUVENIR STALL  (by the river) manned by volunteers from The Bampton Society  - raising money for the Bampton Archive Collection from brollies, tea-towels, cards, framed prints and booklets to Pony Poo!

09.00 - 17.00    

                        ARTS & CRAFTS and TRADITIONAL SKILLS DEMONSTRATION

                         (2 DIFFERENT VENUES -  St. Michael's Church & The Riverside Tents)

                               Visiting both is an absolute must - lots of lovely handmade goodies from our local crafts producers, from gothic wooden mirrors, stained glass, demonstrations on fly tying to glass bead making.  Great gift ideas for Christmas from handmade soaps and willow baskets to stunning jewellery and pottery.

                        THE BAMPTON FAIR CAFÉ (Riverside Hall)  - hosted by The Toucan  - treat yourself to a well earned break in our café with tempting scones and freshly homemade snacks and soups from locally sourced ingredients.

                        Warm yourself with some spicy mulled wine and spend a few minutes looking at our

                        COMMEMORATIVE DVD CELEBRATING 750 YEARS OF THE FAIR   

                        Continuous viewing in the Bampton Fair Café. The full version of the DVD runs for around 60 minutes telling the story of the fair from the granting of the charter to present day including loads of archive film footage and historic photographs depicting scenes over the last 100 years (some never before seen)! On sale or to order at the Café and the Bampton Fair Information & Souvenir Stall. Price: £7.50

                        LOCAL PRODUCERS (in the tents by the river - Riverside Hall Car Park) a delicious selection of locally produced  foods from meats and cheeses to pickles and preserves. Try out the various ciders and hot mulled wine whilst listening to the fantastic live music on the Town Stage

10.00 onwards

BELLRINGING - (St Michael's Church) - drop into the church to witness Bampton Bellringers and other local ringers attempt not just one but two complete peals!!! That's an amazing 10,080 changes across 6 hours. Each peal involves around 3 hours of continuous ringing - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Video cameras have been fitted to both the ringing chamber and bell chamber so you can watch this amazing feat live and take a look at the display of bellringing material in the church.

10.30 - 18.00       LIVE MUSIC ON THE TOWN STAGE (Riverside Hall Car Park)

a variety of artists  and musicians perform all day.

Schedule to be announced. It will include the Blackdown Hills Steel Band, Stripey Howling Hancock, Pink Froot, the West Country Concertina Players, and the young musicians from Richard Hush College.

12.00 noon        PONY SALE & COLLECTIVE FARM SALE (Luttrell Farm)

Stags Auctioneers will open the Sale at noon with a variety of lots ranging from “Fur & Feathers“, saddlery & tack to country furniture and collectibles.

(Ponies are usually sold after the collective farm lots)

For further information about our entertainers and musicians please click here

After the Fair Events:

For all the Sessions (Friday to Sunday) in the Bridge House Hotel, Blackberries, the White Horse, and the Quarryman's Rest - see below.

You can download the After the Fair flyer here (NB 3MB so you need broadband!)

Saturday 31st October

French Renaissance Dance Workshop with Annick Gourmelon 10.30am to 12.00 noon in the Riverside Hall

Morris Dancing outside the Quarryman's Rest and the Swan between 11am and 2,00pm

Sunday 1st November

Irish Drumming Workshop with Mog for beginners and improvers. 10am to 12 noon in Riverside Hall

Sessions