PART II.-CHAPTER XIII. 



FAIRES AND MARKETTS. 



FAIRES. The most celebrated faire in North Wiltshire for sheep is at Castle Combe, on St. 

 George's Day (23 April), whither sheep-masters doe come as far as from Northamptonshire. Here 

 is a good crosse and market-house ; and heretofore was a staple of wooll, as John Scrope, Esq. Lord 

 of this mannour, affirmcs to me. The market here now is very inconsiderable. [Part of the cross 

 and market-house remain, but there is not any wool fair, market, or trade at Castle Combe, which 

 is a retired, secluded village, of a romantic character, seated in a narrow valley, with steep acclivi- 

 ties, covered with woods. The house, gardens, &c. of George Poulett Scrope, Esq. M.P., the Lord of 

 the Manor, are peculiar features in tliis scene. J. B.] 



At Wilton is a very noted faire for sheepe, on St. George's Day also ; and another on St. Giles's 

 Day, September the first. Graziers, &c. from Buckinghamshire come hither to buy sheep. 



Wilton was the head town of the county till Bishop Bingham built the Bridge at Harnham which 

 turned away the old Roman way (in the Legier-booke of Wilton called the hepepath, i. e. the army 

 path), and brought the trade to New Sarum, where it hath ever since continued. 



At Chilmarke is a good faire for sheep on St. Margaret's day, 20th July. 



Burford, near Salisbury, a faire on Lammas day ; 'tis an eminent faire for wooll and sheep, the 

 eve is for wooll and cheese. 



At the city of New Sarum is a very great faire for cloath at Twelf-tyde, called Twelfe Market. 

 In the parish of All-Cannings is St. Anne's Hill, vulgarly called Tann Hill, where every yeare on 

 St. Anne's Day (26th July), is kept a great fair within an old camp, called Oldbury.* The chiefe 

 commodities are sheep, oxen, and fineries. This faire would bee more considerable, but that Bristow 

 Faire happens at the same time. 



At the Devises severall faires ; but the greatest is at the Green there, at Michaelmas : it continues 

 about a week. 



MAEKETTS. Warminster is exceeding much frequented for a round corn-market on Saturday. 

 Hither come the best teenies of horses, and it is much resorted to by buyers. Good horses for the 

 coach : some of 201L + It is held to be the greatest corn-market by much in the West of England. 

 My bayliff has assured me that twelve or fourteen score loades of corne on market-dayes are brought 

 thither : the glovers that work in their shops at the towne's end doe tell the carts as they come in ; 

 but this market of late yeares has decayed ; the reason whereof I had from my honored friend 



* [Aubrey errs in stating " Oldbury Camp" to be on St. Anne's Hill; those places being nearly two miles apart. J. B.] 



