MARKETS AND FAIRS 135 



OTHER FAIRS AND MARKETS. 



MARDALE had a fair for sheep on the 14th of June in 1824 ; it 

 was held at the top of Haweswater and was followed by sports. 

 On October loth, 1825, the Pooley Bridge tup fair was started when 

 upwards of 100 were sold ; this was a fair for fell sheep originally but 

 by i860 cross bred sheep were also shown as well as a few cattle and 

 horses ; in this year it was held on the 17th of September. 



Patterdale fair was of \'ery ancient date and was held on September 

 23rd ; it was noted for sheep, cattle and wool and was followed by a 

 pleasure fair. It was held on the " Butts." 



Soulby established a cattle and sheep fair on the Tuesday before 

 Easter and another in 1825 on the 30th of August ; they have been 

 extinct many years. 



A fair was started at Maulds Meaburn in 1828 on the Monday 

 before Easter for horses, cattle and sheep, but it has not been in exis- 

 tence for over twenty years. 



Grasmere fair has always been held on the 5th of September 

 and was for sheep and cattle ; as shewing the prices ruling in this 

 district in 1852, calving cows brought ^^12 to £15, gelt heifers £10 to 

 £14, Herdwick ewes 14/- to 16/-, wethers 18/- to 23/-, gimmer lambs 

 10/9 to 12/6, wether lambs 8/6, gimmer twinters 16/6 to 17/6, and 

 wether twinters 15/6 to 18/6. 



As was the case with many other small fairs, sports were added 

 as an attraction and from the sports attached to this fair the now 

 famous Grasmere Sports emerged. The first occasion on which they 

 were separated from the fair was in 1S70, when they were held on 

 August 25th. The fair is still continued. 



A fair has existed at Staveley from the early years of the century ; 

 it was held in the first week of April and was for cattle and sheep, 

 though sometimes horses were also exhibited ; it is now held on the 

 Wednesday before Easter. Another fair on the 7th of October is for 

 sheep. It is one of the best in this part of the county and is generally 

 taken as fixing the prices ol sheep, following as it does the annual sales 

 at Forest Hall. 



Ravenstonedale started three fairs in 1838 to be held on the School 

 Green on March 24th, the second Wednesday in April and on August 

 29th. There had previously been established a small market on 



