Stow Fair, Lincolnshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stow Green Hill |
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 Stow Green Hill
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| OS grid reference | TF094350 |
| • London | 100 mi (160 km) S |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SLEAFORD |
| Postcode district | NG34 |
| Police | Lincolnshire |
| Fire | Lincolnshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Stow Fair was a famous fair in England that started way back in 1233. Imagine a big market and festival rolled into one! In 1268, the leader of Sempringham Priory, a type of monastery, got official permission to hold this fair every year. It took place from June 23rd to 25th.
This fair was so popular it continued for hundreds of years, even becoming a well-known horse fair until 1954. People think that fairs might have happened here even before 1233, possibly linked to the feast day of a saint named Ætheldreda. Today, you can find an information board at the site, put up by the North Kesteven District Council. It tells the history and shows a cool photo of the horse fair from 1908.
Where Was Stow Fair Held?
Stow Fair was held at a place now called Stow Green Hill. This spot is right next to Mareham Lane, a road between Sleaford and Rippingale, passing through Threekingham. Many people believe Mareham Lane was once a Roman road, possibly connected to King Street.
The fair's location is on the edge of some limestone hills. From here, you can look north over the flat fen country towards Sleaford. It's on a small ridge of high ground that sticks out into the fen from Walcott. The field itself is about 108 feet (33 meters) above sea level. This would have been a great, commanding spot in olden times.
You'll find a farm nearby called Stow Farm, and the road leading into Horbling is named Stow Lane. The area is even signposted "Stow" from the A15 road at Threekingham. Not many Roman remains have been found along Mareham Lane.
There's a fenced field at the corner of Mareham Lane and Stow Lane with a notice board. This board shares historical facts about the fair. The land belongs to the Crown Commissioners and is farmed by someone renting it. You are allowed to walk around the site, but using a metal detector is not allowed. The fair might have covered an even bigger area in the past. The field is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which means it's a protected historical site.
The Chapel at Stow Green
The Domesday Book from 1086, a very old record of England, mentions two churches in Threekingham. One of them, St Mary's Church, was located right at Stow Green. We know that people were buried at Stow Green as far back as the 11th and 12th centuries. This church of St Mary lasted until the 1700s.
It's possible that this site was once home to an early medieval nunnery. This nunnery might have been started in the late 600s by a saint named Werburgh and dedicated to Saint Ætheldreda. Sadly, it was probably destroyed by the Danes around the year 870.
Historian David Roffe explains the special connection between Saint Ætheldreda and Stow Green. He says the site, which was called "Ædeldreðestowe," was chosen because the saint's staff supposedly took root and grew leaves there! The word 'Stow' itself often means a holy place or a burial ground. According to Eilert Ekwall, an expert on place names, the Old English word 'stow' can mean 'place,' 'inhabited place,' 'holy place,' 'hermitage,' 'monastery,' or even 'church.'
Images for kids
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Stow Horse Fair, 1978
