Scarborough Fair (trade show)
Scarborough Fair is an important trade fair in the English city of Scarborough , which took place from the 13th to the 17th centuries.
During the late Middle Ages , the port city of Scarborough in Yorkshire was a major hub for merchants across England. On August 15th, it held a trade fair that was unusually long for its time. Dealers visited them from all regions of England, from Norway, Denmark, the Baltic States and the Byzantine Empire . Scarborough Fair was created on the basis of a permit from Henry III. of January 22, 1253. The decree, which granted Scarborough many privileges, stipulated: "The citizens and their heirs should hold an annual mass forever, which is to go from the Assumption to St. Michaelmas" (In the modern, Romanesque, Catholic calendar are the equivalent days of August 15 and September 29). However, such a large event attracted far more than just dealers; this large number of buyers, sellers, and pleasure seekers had to be entertained and catered for. Prices were determined by the principle of supply and demand , while goods were often bartered . Records show that from 1383 onwards Scarborough's prosperity suffered greatly due to a neighboring fair in Seamer.
Due to the competition at markets and fairs in other cities during the 17th century, as well as increased taxes, the fair slowly declined until it was no longer financially viable. The last attempts to revive the market in the 18th century were finally ended due to competition in 1788.
While the traditional “Scarborough Fair” no longer exists, there are now a number of smaller festivals that take place every October to commemorate the original event.
The mass appears in the old English ballad " Scarborough Fair ".
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Scarborough Maritime Heritage Center | Scarborough fair. Retrieved September 26, 2017 (English).