I may be the only person living who remembers Barsham Fair. But maybe not. Is there anyone out there who remembers it as well?
It must have been whilst I was working in Beccles which would have made it the mid 1970s. It was very much a hippy thing full of mysticism, music and joss sticks. Now who remembers Joss sticks? Those highly centred sticks that you set light to and gave out a rather sickly aroma. I'm sure you can still get them, although they probably have another name now.
Barsham Fair was held on a field at Barsham (hence its name). Barsham is between Beccles and Bungay in Suffolk and not a million miles from where the Latitude Festival is now held at Henham near Southwold.
Barsham Fair ran for a few years but then they had to stop organising it because it became so popular that it became almost impossible to police (that's police as in organise rather than Police as in the men and women in blue).
I can't remember a great deal about Barsham Fair but I'm certain that if the had continued it would have morphed into a large festival. So, as usual, I Googled it and came up with this about the 1972 fair:
The first Renaissance Pleasure Faire was held in California in 1963. By the late 1960s similar events had been held in many other states. One English visitor later moved to East Anglia and when the idea of an event was first suggested he told his friends about a medieval fair he had attended while in the United States.
Barsham was initially planned as a fundraiser for the East Anglian Arts Trust but was so successful it became the main focus of their activities.
The medieval theme meant:
- No electric supply (for lighting or amplification)
- All stalls and structures hand built.
- All products made by stallholders
- No vehicles on site during the fair
Fair-goers were encouraged to attend in medieval costume (loosely interpreted, the focus was on participation not historical re-enactment).
The first Barsham has been described as ‘little more than an imaginative village fete’ but it was a fete which evoked such pleasure and joy in those that were there that the following year ten times as many people turned up."
Then this description comes from the Broadland Memories Blog:
In the early 1970s a group of friends living in the Waveney Valley area got together and, with the hippy ideals of the late 1960s still flourishing, decided to try to re-create a medieval craft fair which would include music, theatre and circus acts along with the traditional craft stalls and would run over a three day, bank holiday weekend.
A suitable site was found at Barsham, near Beccles, and in 1972 the first faire was held. The second faire in 1973 attracted around 2,200 visitors and Barsham went on to become an annual event for the next four years but seemingly became a victim of its own success – as word spread the numbers attending the weekend faires continued to increase until it was felt that it had probably outgrown the site beside the church in the village and the last Barsham Faire was held in 1976. Such was the interest generated by these events, the idea evolved into a desire to create a travelling version which became the Albion Fairs that were organised at various locations between 1978 and 1986.
The writer goes on to describe Barsham Fair as a mini Glastonbury. So I guess you can say that I have been to a festival, albeit a small and rather mystical one.
I came across a number of images of Barsham Fair on the Internet and a couple are included here, I hope I am not infringing any copyright here. Copyright is such a difficult subject and one I will touch on in a coming blog.
It's rather strange when things stop because they get too big. The same thing happened with Wymondham Round Table's firework display on Hethel Airfield (the home of Lotus). It was held for a number of years before being stopped because it was just getting too big and too difficult to organise. I seem to remember just getting people in on time was a nightmare and remember somebody I knew shouting at us because he couldn't get his car onto the car park before the display started.
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While I'm on the crazy subject of strange things in the Waveney Valley. What about Dwile Flonking? What about it I hear you ask? This was classed a sport and there was even a league. it was an excuse to drink copious quantities of beer and I remember it taking place at the Geldeston Locks pub near the river.
I never fully understood the rules, but basically it involved two teams trying to hit each other with beer filled cloths known as dwiles (hence the name). When someone was hit they had to down a glass of beer. It was something like that. And you can imagine that the more beer that was consumed the more riotous the game became and people usually forgot how many points they had scored and the whole thing descended into chaos as people fell over because I seem to remember that having taken the drink they then had to turn around a set number of times thus ensuring that they didn't stay upright.
I do remember that there was a chant where everyone shouted "pot pot pot" or that may have been pott, pott, pott. I have adapted this word to help me get up hills (yes seriously). This is something I was taught a few years ago.
Getting up hills is a struggle, particularly the older you get. But, for some reason, it's easier if you don't look at the top of the hill but look at the ground about a foot in front of you whilst saying the word pot pot pot over and over again until you suddenly find yourself at the top.
Try it sometime. It really does work as long as you set a pace and stride that you are happy with and stick to it. I think it works because you have emptied your mind and are concentrating on the climb whilst not worrying about how far you have to go. You are also concentrating on the word pot. I guess it could be another word that you are comfortable with, just not Boris as that might make you go backwards.
That's enough drivel for one day.