Swaffham Food and Artisans’ Fair - 13th August
Always associated with farming and food, Swaffham celebrates its agricultural history with a day of food and makers’ stalls and demonstrations.
A cookery theatre will be hosted by Norfolk cookery writer Mary Kemp, and demonstrations will include both local cuisine and food from far away.
The artisan exhibitors have been hand-picked to provide a broad spectrum of the best in the locality, showcasing a wide range of skills, personal journeys and stories.
Amongst the extras, there will be music by local and popular shantymen crew, Pot of Gold, plus a climbing wall for children and adults who dare!
Some History
Without agriculture Swaffham would have developed into an entirely different place – or maybe it would have remained a village?
It probably began with sheep. In 1084 Domesday tells us that there were 1½ mills, a fishery (interesting in a town with no water) and 200 sheep. It was not a large place – nearby Dunham, for example had ½ market, 1 mill, 3 beehives, 19 cattle and 17 pigs – but no sheep.
However, over the medieval period Swaffham soon had the privilege of being attached to The Honour of Richmond with its many taxation and tolls advantages for traders. The pilgrim route to Walsingham as well as to Castle Acre and other nearby priories was also bringing in many visitors. And so the market itself developed and the town became known on documents as “Swaffhammarket”.
By the 17th century there were three livestock fairs on or near the Marketplace and these continued into the 19th century.
When the railway arrived in 1847 things began to change. Little by little the population decreased as young people sought their fortune elsewhere; factory goods replaced the handmade ones of artisans, and eventually the sheep fairs moved to a meadow near the railway station.
Nevertheless, it was Swaffham who hosted the early Norfolk Agricultural Shows with Norwich turn and turn about.
Image: Swaffham Heritage Archives
The Plowright family brought agricultural engineering to Swaffham. From a blacksmith’s shop in the 18th century the firm developed into one of the best known agricultural businesses in the eastern region and were the main employers in the town for many years into the 20th century.
Reading through the censuses we find that the vast majority of men were agricultural labourers. We know from school absence records that children played an important part in bringing income to families – whether stone picking, bird scaring, acorn picking or beating for pheasants.
Newspaper reports over the 19th and 20 centuries record many instances of agricultural labourers
protesting and striking about poor pay and working conditions, although in the early 19° century
they appear to have been paid 2 shillings more a week than elsewhere. There is little evidence of
Swing Riots.
Image: Swaffham Heritage Archives
Agricultural workers came from all over the country to Swaffham as late as 1993 to protest against
the decision to withdraw the agricultural wages board.
Why Swaffham?
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at the time was local MP Mrs Gillian Shephard.