For more than two years the village of Whaplode in Lincolnshire has been planning a celebration to remember; one that would involve as many people as possible, and fittingly commemmorate their village's granting of an annual charter fair back in 1307. And they succeeded. Even the generally abysmal English weather that dogged the weekend didn't dampen the spirits of visitors, though it may have contributed to the roaring sales of hot drinks that the ladies supplied all day from the back of the church.

The Fair, with its historical integrity supplied by Black Knight Historical, started on the Friday with a schools day. Children from Infants to Secondary rotated round the site visiting various displays and learning from each about different aspects of medieval life in the year 1307. One member of The Guild was based in the Church, telling them about religious life and how it affected and influenced everyone from cradle to grave as well as what it was like to be a nun. Children also heard tales of relics and their importance to pilgrims.

A second Guild member was in the churchyard, talking about and showing the food of the period. Children handled and smelt the spices and colourings used by the wealthy, learnt about fast and meat free days, and saw the limitations that poverty imposed on the vast majority of people. There was a particular emphasis on fenland food which would have been available at the time, and they were intrigued by the live eels swimming around in a large tub, as well as tales about them which were drawn from experience.

Other displays the children visited included knightly life and weaponry, surgery and medicine of the time, artisanal craft, music of the period, storytime, with Andy weaving them medieval tales  and a visit to the falconer whose hawks and owls fascinated them, especially when they moved on to discover just how their catches helped put food onto the tables of the wealthy.

On Friday evening there was a concert in the Church, where along with music from the medieval period provided by Trouvere, local children reprised their medieval play very enjoyably. Over the weekend a variety of traders also arrived and were deployed about the churchyard and field adjoining to remind visitors of what would have been for sale at that time. On Sunday the morning service was led by the bishop, and during the afternoon there was an unexpected extra influx of visitors as a local coach company used the event for its weekly magical mystery outing.

We were greatly privileged to be invited to join in with such an important local event, and were given such a welcome and the friendship of everyone we met there that this event will hold a very special place in our memories of this year. We would like to thank everyone we met from Whaplode, especially Cyril, the chairman, his committee, and Brenda without whom the practicalities of all the food fresh would have been insurmountable. Unfortunately, we were kept so busy that there was no time to take any photos at all. However, Black Knight Historical holds a flickr record of all its events, and the following link also has excellent coverage of the wekend: