Kegworth Markets and Fairs

In 1289, Edward I granted Robert and Margery de Housted the right to hold a weekly market in Kegworth on Tuesdays. In practise this meant that the villagers held the market and were charged by the Lord of the Manor for doing so. He in turn had to pay the King. At the same time the right to hold two annual fairs was granted. Each lasted three days, the 'eve, day and morrow' of saints days, St Margaret the Virgin and St Andrew the Apostle. The latter, of course, is the patron saint of the village church.

Both weekly market and annual fairs must have fallen into disuse by the seventeenth century as in 1679, William III granted William Bainbrigge a weekly market on Wednesdays and two annual fairs each lasting for two days. These were to be held on Easter Monday and the following Tuesday and on St Michael's day, the 29th, and the 30th of September. In the Gazette, Bainbrigge is described as an 'esquire', but in the grant he is a merchant. In any case he was not the Lord of the Manor. These fairs were for the 'buying and selling of corn, cattle and all manner of goods and merchandise whatsoever'

By 1804 the weekly market was almost disused but the fairs continued. The Easter Monday Fair lasted longest, the September fair losing its identity with travelling shows and menageries. It is the Easter Monday Fair which was chosen by the Kegworth Village Association for revival in 1976 and is now held under the auspices of the present descendants of the Lord of the Manor, and in aid of village organisations and charities

N. B - Kegworth Village Association who were responsible for reviving the Easter Monday Charter Market and Fair aim to raise money to benefit the whole village. The stall we hold at this Easter Monday Market is one of our main sources of income. We collect goods for these stalls throughout the year.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY ARTICLES YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO OUR STALL PLEASE CONTACT THE K.V.A