Rare date in history as Lammas Fair cancelled

Published: 2 July 2020

Today will go down in history as one of the first times that Exeter’s historic Lammas Fair has not taken place in the city.

Every year, Exeter’s famous white glove has been hoisted over the city as part of a ceremony that dates back over 900 years, and the City Council believe this could be only the third time this ancient event has been cancelled.

The Lord Mayor’s procession of the Lammas Glove, adorned with flowers and ribbons, is usually carried out, with civic dignitaries marching down Exeter High Street, occasionally accompanied by the Sheriff’s Coach.

On arrival at Exeter’s historic Guildhall, the Lord Mayor reads the historic proclamation, issued at the time of Edward III in 1330, and the glove is hoisted above the famous building where it remains for three days.

Sadly, because of the Coronavirus pandemic, this will not be happening this year. The City Council, who organise the traditional event believe this may be the first year that it has not taken place since the war.

Instead a 360-degree video of last year’s event will be placed on the Lord Mayor’s and City Council’s Facebook pages.

The annual ceremony goes back to before the Norman Conquest, more than 900 years ago. 

The word Lammas derives from the Anglo Saxon ‘Hlafmaesse’ or ‘loaf mass’, when the fruits of the harvest would have been offered to the church in the form of a loaf and celebrated with both a festival and a fair.

The franchise of a fair was a valuable possession, giving exclusive rights on tolls on all articles sold and was opened by a proclamation declaring how long the fair would last.