Appleby Horse Fair has taken place in the small town of Appleby, Cumbria since 1685 when King James II granted a royal charter to welcome Travellers to the town to trade. The fair is an opportunity for over 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers to meet on an annual basis to trade horses, buy and sell all kinds of items and for young people to get together and possibly meet their potential partner. Other fairs include Stow Horse Fair, which takes place twice a year in the Cotswolds, attracting serious horse traders as well as sightseers from across the country.
Lots of work has been created relating to Appleby Horse Fair, from films (History of Appleby, Horses of Appleby, Visitors to Appleby, Craftsmen of Appleby) to animation and is worth a look as an insight into this traditional fair, or better still it’s worth a visit!
To obtain a copy of the audio transcript please get in touch and we will send you a downloadable pdf.
