ON A PAIR OF ANCIENT RAM S HORNS. 5 



fixed upon a stand formed of four Ram's Horns was brought out 

 of the house, and elevated over his head. He was then admitted 

 to the privilege, not only of drinking out of the horn, but of 

 paying for a gallon of beer. 



Several Horn Fairs were held periodically at places in the 

 neighbourhood of London. At Charlton, near to Blackheath, 

 Horn Fair was held on St. Luke's Day. Heutzer, who visited 

 London in 1598, thus speaks of it : — " Upon taking the air down 

 the river (from London) on the left lies Ratcliffe, a considerable 

 suburb. On the opposite shore is fixed a long pole with Ram's 

 Horns upon it." It appears to have been a regular thing for a 

 procession to go from some of the inns in Bishopgate Street, in 

 which were a king, a queen, a miller, a counsellor, etc., with 

 horns in their hats to Charlton, where they went round the 

 church three times. This was accompanied by many irregular 

 antics, which gave rise to the proverb — " All is fair at Horn Fair." 



Fuller also refers to the custom of women going to these fairs. 

 He says — " I remember being there on Horn Friday. I was 

 dressed in my landlady's best gown and other women's attire,, and 

 to Horn Fair we went, and as we were coming back all the 

 clothes were spoiled by dirty water that was flung on us in an 

 inundation, and for which I was obliged to present her with two 

 guineas, to make atonement for the damage sustained."* 



Mr. Brand says — "That this fair consists of a riotous mob, who, 

 after a printed summons, dispersed through the adjacent towns, 

 meet at Cuckhold's Point, near to Deptford, and march from 

 thence in procession through that town and Greenwich to 

 Charlton with horns on their heads, and at the fairs are sold 

 Ram's Horns, and every toy made of horn ; even the gingerbread 

 figures have horns." He ridicules the idea of this fair having 

 originated through a grant from King John.t 



The carrying of horns at these fairs is supposed to have 

 originated from the symbol of St. Luke, who is generally figured 

 as sitting writing, with an ox having large horns on one side of 



* Life of Fuller, 1703. t Brand's "Antiquities." 



