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Appleby Horse FairYou are in: Cumbria > Places > Features > Appleby Horse Fair > Appleby Horse Fair - Essential info  Riding a horse through the water Appleby Horse Fair - Essential infoEverything you need to know to make your visit to the Appleby Horse Fair a success. Fact FileAppleby was originally known as the County Town of Westmorland. Around 1092, the town was given by King William II to Ranulph de Meschines, who was chiefly responsible for Appleby's development as a centre for trade and administration of the surrounding area. The building of Appleby Castle was most probably begun around 1100 and passed to the Crown when de Meschines was made Earl of Chester in 1121. The Church of Saint Lawrence in Appleby contains one of the oldest surviving organs in the British Isles. The Grammar School was attended by the half-brothers of George Washington. Appleby Horse Fair was set up by Charter under the reign of James II in 1685. The ownership of a horse can, by wheeling and dealing, change several times throughout the course of the Fair and sales are usually clinched with a slap on the hand, after a one-to-one bartering rather than a traditional type of auction. Appleby Horse Fair originated many years ago, and remains the principal horse fair in the North of England. Travellers assemble from all over the British Isles to meet family and friends and to trade horses. It is very much a horse-trading occasion. However, there are stalls that provide entertainment and facilities, the main business of the Fair are horses. In 2008, the fair takes place between Thursday 5th June and Thursday 12th June, with the busiest days being the Saturday and Sunday. If you plan to visit the Fair, we suggest you bear the following in mind:> There are horses in the road, and they are large and powerful animals, avoid getting too close to them, you have to be very aware of where and how you walk along the access routes; keep alert - use your eyes and ears! > Appleby gets VERY crowded; it is a small town of 3,000 people, occupied by 45,000 on the main days of the fair, naturally concentrated on access routes to the actual fair, so it is hugely crowded. Refreshment outlets are very busy. >Parking and traffic is carefully controlled, follow the signs; you will unavoidably be involved in very-slow-moving-traffic. > It is quite a long walk from the car parks to Fair Hill - 1/2 to 1 mile, and Appleby is quite hilly. Fair Hill is grass (and mud), so wear stout walking shoes, high heels are not recommended. > Although Appleby is not a monsoon area, it may well be wet. There is not much shelter in Appleby, be well equipped if the weather is at all threatening. > Please do not drop your litter; clearance is a major problem. Make it as easy as possible for the litter-pickers. Taking note of this advice will help your day to be a pleasant experience. From the Media Working Party, Appleby New Fair Joint Committee.last updated: 30/05/2008 at 13:07 SEE ALSOYou are in: Cumbria > Places > Features > Appleby Horse Fair > Appleby Horse Fair - Essential info
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