The annual Colyford Medieval Goose Fayre was held on Saturday 28 September 2024 and was well attended, a crowd starting to gather early along the route of the costumed pageant that processed from the Elms to Springfield.

Everyone in the procession had gone to town with their medieval-style costumes and the walk was accompanied by minstrels and drummers. This is the modern incarnation of the ancient Michaelmas Goose Fayre for which King John granted a licence to the Mayor in 1207.

The current Mayor of Colyford, Julian Thompson, opened proceedings from the stage in the field, urging everyone to “Eat, drink and be merry”.

At the organisational helm this year ensuring that all of that was possible, were the Chairman of the Committee, Vaughn Jelley and his wife, Ann, who was masterminding the considerable catering operation. Ann was very much in control of the busy tea and cakes tent, and said, “I have run this huge task for three years now. I think this is both my third and final year.”

The afternoon was a cornucopia of events and it was difficult to cover everything that was on offer in the three hours of the Fayre.

A big draw for families was Professor Davey’s Wooden Wonders, presenting a traditional Punch and Judy puppet show. Brian and Alison Davey have been running their puppet theatre company for over 40 years and are proud to be part of this long theatrical history. Alison said, “Samuel Pepys saw an Italian Commedia performance in Covent Garden in 1662 and misunderstood the word Pulcinella, calling the character Punchinella, from which we get the character Mr Punch.”

The show included all the favourite characters – Mr Punch, Judy, the baby (alarmingly turned into sausages and then to everyone’s relief turned back into being a baby), Joey the Clown and the crocodile – combining storytelling with lots of interesting history along the way.

Centre stage of the Fayre is the ram roast and long queues formed to enjoy the roasted lamb, fresh off the spits, all the meat and carvers being supplied by local Colyford Butchers.

Entertainment on the stage included the Mummers’ Play, the Medieval Dance Group and the Exeter Morris, a mixed group in green and yellow livery and on the lookout for new members, accompanied by a five-piece band of accordions and tin whistle.

Other entertainments and demonstrations included archery, Quintain, a cider press, complete with donkey working the machinery, ye olde wood fired pizza, armoury and spinning.

The Goose Fayre is a community celebration of our history and everything at the Fayre is presented in as near to the traditional as is possible.

The Fayre used to auction off geese, but in the twenty-first century iteration of the event, this titular element of the afternoon was represented by seven geese, safely corralled into a pen, looking relieved they were not going to be finding themselves at the centre of anyone’s Christmas dinner table.