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Town （Boston）； and St。 Ives。 We find the great London merchants
travelling thither in caravans； bearing with them all manner of
goods； and bringing back the wool purchased by them in exchange。
Winchester Great Fair attracted merchants from all parts of Europe。
It was held on the hill of St。 Giles； and was divided into streets
of booths； named after the merchants of the different countries who
exposed their wares in them。 〃The passes through the great woody
districts； which English merchants coming from London and the West
would be compelled to traverse； were on this occasion carefully
guarded by mounted 'serjeants…at…arms；' since the wealth which was
being conveyed to St。 Giles's…hill attracted bands of outlaws from
all parts of the country。〃*＇4＇ Weyhill Fair； near Andover； was
another of the great fairs in the same district； which was to the
West country agriculturists and clothiers what Winchester St。
Giles's Fair was to the general merchants。
The principal fair in the northern districts was that of
St。 Botolph's Town （Boston）； which was resorted to by people from
great distances to buy and sell commodities of various kinds。
Thus we find； from the 'Compotus' of Bolton Priory；*＇5＇ that the
monks of that house sent their wool to St。 Botolph's Fair to be sold；
though it was a good hundred miles distant； buying in return their
winter supply of groceries； spiceries； and other necessary
articles。 That fair； too； was often beset by robbers； and on one
occasion a strong party of them； under the disguise of monks；
attacked and robbed certain booths； setting fire to the rest； and
such was the amount of destroyed wealth； that it is said the veins
of molten gold and silver ran along the streets。
The concourse of persons attending these fairs was immense。
The nobility and gentry； the heads of the religions houses； the
yeomanry and the commons； resorted to them to buy and sell all
manner of agricultural produce。 The farmers there sold their wool
and cattle； and hired their servants； while their wives disposed of
the surplus produce of their winter's industry； and bought their
cutlery； bijouterie； and more tasteful articles of apparel。
There were caterers there for all customers； and stuffs and wares
were offered for sale from all countries。 And in the wake of this
business part of the fair there invariably followed a crowd of
ministers to the popular tastes quack doctors and merry andrews；
jugglers and minstrels； singlestick players； grinners through
horse…collars； and sportmakers of every kind。
Smaller fairs were held in most districts for similar purposes of
exchange。 At these the staples of the locality were sold and
servants usually hired。 Many were for special purposescattle
fairs； leather fairs； cloth fairs； bonnet fairs； fruit fairs。
Scatcherd says that less than a century ago a large fair was held
between Huddersfield and Leeds； in a field still called Fairstead；
near Birstal； which used to be a great mart for fruit； onions； and
such like； and that the clothiers resorted thither from all the
country round to purchase the articles； which were stowed away in
barns； and sold at booths by lamplight in the morning。*＇6＇ Even
Dartmoor had its fair； on the site of an ancient British village or
temple near Merivale Bridge； testifying to its great antiquity； for
it is surprising how an ancient fair lingers about the place on
which it has been accustomed to be held； long after the necessity
for it has ceased。 The site of this old fair at Merivale Bridge is
the more curious； as in its immediate neighbourhood； on the road
between Two Bridges and Tavistock； is found the singular…looking
granite rock； bearing so remarkable a resemblance to the Egyptian
sphynx； in a mutilated state。 It is of similarly colossal
proportions； and stands in a district almost as lonely as that in
which the Egyptian sphynx looks forth over the sands of the
Memphean Desert。*＇7＇
＇Image＇ Site of an ancient British village and fair on Dartmoor。
The last occasion on which the fair was held in this secluded spot
was in the year 1625； when the plague raged at Tavistock； and there
is a part of the ground； situated amidst a line of pillars marking
a stone avenuea characteristic feature of the ancient aboriginal
worshipwhich is to this day pointed out and called by the name of
the 〃Potatoe market。〃
But the glory of the great fairs has long since departed。 They
declined with the extension of turnpikes； and railroads gave them
their death…blow。 Shops now exist in every little town and
village； drawing their supplies regularly by road and canal from
the most distant parts。 St。 Bartholomew； the great fair of
London；*＇8＇ and Donnybrook； the great fair of Dublin； have been
suppressed as nuisances； and nearly all that remains of the dead
but long potent institution of the Fair； is the occasional
exhibition at periodic times in country places； of pig…faced
ladies； dwarfs； giants； double…bodied calves； and such…like
wonders； amidst a blatant clangour of drums； gongs； and cymbals。
Like the sign of the Pack…Horse over the village inn door； the
modern village fair； of which the principal article of merchandise
is gingerbread…nuts； is but the vestige of a state of things that
has long since passed away。
There were； however； remote and almost impenetrable districts which
long resisted modern inroads。 Of such was Dartmoor； which we have
already more than once referred to。 The difficulties of
road…engineering in that quarter； as well as the sterility of a
large proportion of the moor； had the effect of preventing its
becoming opened up to modern traffic； and it is accordingly curious
to find how much of its old manners； customs； traditions； and
language has been preserved。 It looks like a piece of England of
the Middle Ages； left behind on the march。 Witches still hold
their sway on Dartmoor； where there exist no less than three
distinct kinds white； black； and grey；*＇9＇and there are still
professors of witchcraft； male as well as female； in most of the
villages。
As might be expected； the pack…horses held their ground in Dartmoor
the longest； and in some parts of North Devon they are not yet
extinct。 When our artist was in the neighbourhood； sketching the
ancient bridge on the moor and the site of the old fair； a farmer
said to him； 〃I well remember the train of pack…horses and the
effect of their jingling bells on the silence of Dartmoor。
My grandfather； a respectable farmer in the north of Devon； was the
first to use a 'butt' （a square box without wheels； dragged by a
horse） to carry manure to field； he was also the first man in the
district to use an umbrella； which on Sundays he hung in the
church…porch； an object of curiosity to the villagers。〃 We are also
informed by a gentleman who resided for some time at South Brent'；
on the borders of the Moor； that the introduction of the first cart
in that district is remembered by many now living； the bridges
having been shortly afterwards widened to accommodate the wheeled
vehicles。
The primitive features of this secluded district are perhaps best
represented by the interesting little town of Chagford； situated in
the valley of the North Teign； an ancient stannary and market town
backed by a wide stretch of moor。 The houses of the place are
built of moor stonegrey； venerable…looking； and substantialsome
with projecting porch and parvise room over； and granite…mullioned
windows； the ancient church； built of granite； with a stout old
steeple of the same material； its embattled porch and granite…groined
vault springing from low columns with Norman…looking capitals；
forming the sturdy centre of this ancient town clump。
A post…chaise is still a phenomenon in Chagford； the roads and
lanes leading to it being so steep and rugged as to be ill adapted
for springed vehicles of any sort。 The upland road or track to
Tavistock scales an almost precipitous hill； and though well enough
adapted for the pack…horse of the last century； it is quite
unfitted for the cart and waggon traffic of this。 Hence the horse
with panniers maintains its ground in the Chagford district； and
the double…horse； furnished with a pillion for the lady riding
behind； is still to be met with in the country roads。
Among the patriarchs of the hills； the straight…breasted blue coat
may yet be seen； with the shoe fastened with buckle and strap as in
the days when George III。 was king； and old women are still found
retaining the cloak and hood of their youth。 Old agricultural
implements continue in use。 The slide or sledge is seen in the
fields； the flail； with its monotonous strokes； resounds from the
barn…floors； the corn is sifted by the windstowthe wind merely
blowing away the chaff from the grain when shaken out of sieves by
the motion of the hand on some elevated spot； the old wooden plough
is still at work； an