2022 sees the triumphant return of the Hereford May fair after its two year hiatus – and 901 years of its May Fair charter. Certainly reasons to be cheerful! The fair is the oldest chartered fair in Britain. To celebrate this we’ve release a subtitled version of our Hereford mayfair film. Originally conceived as a section of our ‘Carousel’ film, the film above acts as a standalone piece and is all about the Hereford May fair. Back in town after a two-year hiatus, the fair is the oldest charted fair in Britain. Check out our virtual May fair gallery on the May Fair 900 page. If you’re hungry for archive photographs of the fair check out this page. There are also lots of extra films and interviews with Show-people and Herefordians who remember the fair.
With its thrills and spills, Hereford’s May fair has been with us since the 12th Century. It started life as St Ethelbert’s Fair in 1121 and a street fair has been held in the city ever since. The fair has evolved to meet the needs of the modern consumer and today we have gravity-defying, scream-inducing rides but there are many who will remember a far more colourful fair. Dancing girls, naked ladies, bearded ladies, ‘freak’ shows, and the boxing booth, were just a few of the entertainments long gone from the streets of the May Fair. ‘Herefordshire Life Through A Lens’ was a Catcher Media project in partnership with Herefordshire Council’s Libraries, Archive and Collections, and Learning and Achievement Services. Supported by National Lottery Heritage funding.