MARKETS AND FAIRS 133 



and a fair every fortnight from the Wednesday next before Whit- 

 suntide till the day of Simon and Jude following, together with a court 

 of pie-powdre and power to take toll. Cromwell's Friday fair had by 

 usage transferred the fortnightly fair and the weekly market to Fridays 

 as early as 1777. By 1829 the market, though still held on Fridays, 

 was nearly obsolete ; the fairs at this date were held on May 3rd, the 

 Friday before Whitsuntide and the second Friday after old Michaelmas 

 day for sheep, black cattle, etc. In 1841 a new fair was started on 

 August 25th for half-bred lambs and cattle. On August 2nd, 1864, a 

 weekly market was started for butter and other farm produce on Wed- 

 nesday, i.e., the original market day under the charter of Edward I., 

 the market was held in the Assembly Rooms of the " Three Tunns Inn " 

 when between 2000 and 3000 lbs. of butter was shown. The foundation 

 stone of a market house was laid by R. Burn on the 30th of August 

 and the building was formally opened on May 31st, 1865. 



A monthly cattle market was started on Wednesday, the nth of 

 February, in 1874, and was continued till about 1S90. Previously one 

 had been started in 1808, held on the first Wednesday in the month 

 but it ceased after a year or two. A small market is still held on Wednes- 

 day in each week and fairs on May 3rd, the Friday before Whitsuntide, 

 August 28th and the second Friday after October i8th. 



BURTON. 



BURTON at the commencement of the century was one of the best 

 markets in the southern division of the county and the greatest 

 corn centre in all the county, till the opening of the canal to Kendal, which 

 soon materially reduced its importance. The market day is on Tuesday 

 and dates from 1661, together with two fairs, viz. : on the 23rd of 

 April and Whitsun Monday, though during the past century the latter 

 has always been held on Easter Monday and was in addition to a cattle 

 fair, also a hiring for servants ; it was never of any importance and 

 soon developed into a pleasure fair which it now is. In 1847 a show 

 of stallions took place on Easter Monday, and was continued for 

 many years. 



The fairs are now held on Easter Monday and the loth of 

 October, the latter being started on the second Tuesday in that 

 month in 1835. 



