The last weekend in August is the time for well-dressing and in many areas the last Sunday is commemorated as Plague Sunday. In South Zeal there is an area of land on the outskirts of the populated area known, at one time, as Golden Pitts, and said to have been an over-spill burial ground used of necessity to bury the dead without moving bodies too far. By far the most illustrative of commemorations for the Plague still maintained in England is the Commemoration Service for William Mompesson, rector at Eymn - near Bakewell in Derbyshire. In 1665 when a contaminated batch of cloth from London brought the killer disease to the village. Mompesson immediately sealed off the area to contain the plague, a move which saved the rest of the county but condemned many in Eyam to a slow and isolated death. The outside world left food on the village outskirts, collecting as payment coins which were left in water disinfected with vinegar. Out of a population of 350, 259 died, including Mompesson's wife Catherine; but the disease was contained. For the 14 months in which the epidemic raged, services were held in nearby Cucklett Delf, and it is here that the commemoration takes place every year, after a procession from the church. Several of the original 'plague cottages' survive in Eyam, as does the well - now known as Mompesson's well - where the villagers' disinfected money was left.

There is little doubt that a village such as South Zeal, on the main high way to London, easily succumbed to the killer disease that made a extra burial ground a necessity.

This month, in 1752 people woke up after losing 11 days of their lives overnight; and annual celebrations have never been the same since.

Mrs Thomas, a page reader in Japan was feeling homesick a month or so ago and made contact with us through the publishers of our book, "Sincerely, Yours Faithfully"  to  ask about "The Rude Fairs" of Olde England. We can't be 100% certain but we're pretty sure that what Mrs Thomas is referring to are the Rood Fayres of September that followed the July or August summer Revels from at least the 16th century.

The Cross of the crucifixion used to have its own 'holy day' Holy Cross or Rood Day  before the Reformation and during the period when sheep, wool and serge were of  immense financial importance to the West and South West. the selling fairs related to those items included church ceremonies centered particularly around the Rood cross situated on top of Rood screen - separating nave & choir. In January, on Plough Monday, the actual implement was, and still is, brought into church and where the Rood Fayres are recorded the church ceremonies appear to include the presence of a sheep; or two.

Nobles, Bishops,  Lords of the Manor etc., bought and established fairs that generated tolls for them and provided fees to the Crown and many of our fairs today owe their origins to these tax-raising ventures; but at least the people received some pleasure in return for their money or goods. Cistercian monks were great sheepmen with flocks producing wool that once washed and graded gained the highest prices in the land that during the 13th - 15th centuries gave rise to a certain Baa Baa Black Sheep providing bags of wool that were of value to the little boy as well as the high and mighty; bags that weighed 364lbs each

Barnstaple Fair started in the 12th century and traditionally starts on the Wednesday before September 20th and survives today mainly thanks to the Showman's Guild; and spiced Elizabethan ale is brewed for the event. At the opening ceremony at Guildhall, Bess Bitter was ceremonially quaffed by officials as the white glove indicating the approval and presence of the Monarch was raised to signal the start free trading.

Daniel Defoe, during his early 18th century travels noted Exeter's weekly serge market with its £100k weekly sales confirming just how important the product was to the surrounding area, that certainly included South Zeal and Sticklepath.  Exported  woollen goods were destined for Portugal, Holland and Italy made for wool and yarn bought at Barnstaple's big fair and smaller towns' rood' fayres and markets.

While the rood fayres came late in the year - after harvest home - they did include local bread tasting and ale tasting - at which standards approved and licenses granted were paid for. Further afield they lost the connection with sheep but retained the connection with the rood cross.

 At Avening - Stroud - near Gloucester, the Pig Face Feasts held on the first Sunday after 14th September celebrate the repentance in 1080 of Matilda, Queen of William, for the execution of the Lord of Gloucester whose lands had been usurped after the Conquest. 

With Widecombe Fair traditionally held on the second Tuesday in September the song of Tom Cobley's fateful journey to it still provides a  reason, perhaps a rather dubious one,  for visitors to attend what was once probably a rood fayre of local importance. Tom Cobley was probably far more important a local hero than many realise today, but at least he is still celebrated at a fair worth visiting for any reason. 

When tempted to attend some of the fairs celebrated in September and October, local churches too are  worth a visit especially when a moment is spared by their rood screens, or what remains of them, to consider the part they played in fairs of the past.

Moon Days; It is said that after mid September some people should beware the moon, while others should be wary of those they might find while the moon shines bright.

The Harvest Moon - the first full moon after 21st; reflects the fertile earth and abundant harvest - In its light women in danger of pregnancy - newly weds and Viagra users can take advantage of the fact and sleep with the moon shining on them. The advice once was that at this time people should sleep indoors because the moon was so potent and strong that anyone sleeping outdoors could be blinded or disfigured.

A child conceived or born under the Harvest moon was regarded as a moon-calf; a belief noted by Shakespeare when he wrote of  Caliban in The Tempest.

Walk-on players in Midsummer Night's Dream dressed up as Moonshine - with 'lantern, dog, and bush of thorn' all can be seen now on moon's surface; but don't look too long.

© Roy & Ursula Radford