Monument record 10670 - St Werburgh's Fair, Abbey Gate

A three day fair was traditionally held on St Werburgh's Feast in midsummer just before the Abbey Gate. In Earl Hugh's foundation charter of the abbey in 1093, he granted all the profits and tolls on goods sold at the fair to the abbey. Earl Ranulf II confirmed the grant of the fair and gave the monopoly of all trading while the fair was in progress. The monks erected the stalls and charged for them and no other trading was allowed anywhere else in the city during this period.

The claim of the Abbot under this charter was disputed by the citizens until 1288, when a new agreement was drawn up. The citizens were allowed to erect their own booths and stalls outside the abbey at fair time and trade anywhere else within the city during the fair time, and the hanging of a wooden glove outside of St Peter's Church denoted this (3). The Abbot also conceded to the citizens the right of 'stallage' in fair time, in return for an annual payment to the abbey of 46s 8d. In an award of Henry VIII 1509, it was determined that the fair should no longer be under the control of the Abbot (1, 2).

<1> Burne, R. V. H., 1962, The Monks of Chester. The History of St Werburgh's Abbey, /41-42 (Book). SCH3213.

<2> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /117, 122-3 (Book). SCH946.

<3> Simpson F, 1926, The 13th Century Crypt, Bridge Street, Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5698.

<4> Lewis C.P & Thacker A.T. (eds), 2005, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume Vii, The City of Chester - The City of Chester, Culture, Buildings, Institutions (Book). SCH6522.