78 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
Perhaps no fair exercised more influence on the inhabitants of a 
district than that held at Denbury, near Ashburton, on the 19th 
September. It was held at the "Church Town," and was attended 
by all the country round. Carriages might be seen there bearing 
the arms of the Carews of Haccombe, and other county families. 
It was the great business and pleasure fair of the district ; and be- 
came the fixed date for payments of rents ; gathering hazel-nuts, 
which are supposed to become slip-shell on that day ; and all the 
sayings and doings of the season. 
The cattle portion of this fair was stopped in 1866, on account 
of the rinderpest, when this old and influential institution came to 
a sudden end, the attractions it offered to pleasure-seekers being 
unable to sustain it. I believe a few interested persons have at- 
tempted to revive it within the last year or two, but they have suc- 
ceeded only in name. The curious part * connected with this fair 
is, that in Labrador there is still a " Denbury Fair," held on the 
same day, and looked forward to just as eagerly as the old Devon 
fair was in bygone years. No one in Labrador now knows, how- 
ever, whether Denbury is the name of man, woman, place, or thing. 
The fair was established generations ago by settlers from Devon- 
shire, whose descendants, although they still keep up the merry- 
making after the fashion of their forefathers, have quite forgotten 
its origin. 
Having thus far traced the origin, development, and history of 
country revels and fairs, let us see what relics of their palmy days 
still linger among us. Of ancient revels which never developed 
into fairs, owing doubtless to the absence of the trade element, we 
may mention those of Ideford and Holne, which are still held, 
although perhaps most of their ancient glory has. departed. 
Ideford is a small village at the foot of the Haldon hills; its 
church is dedicated to St. Mary. Here for three days, about the 
10th of September, the whole place is given up to pleasure. The 
8th of September, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, the patroness 
of the church, without doubt fixed the date of the revel. 
The houses of the farmers are filled with friends from a distance, 
and shows, stalls, and booths are set up in every open space in the 
village. The first day is spent in hare-hunting on Haldon, and every 
horse that can bo procured is mounted by the inhabitants or their 
* Vide article on "Folk-lore," in "Standard" newspaper, 17th August, 
1876. By R. J. King. 
