A fair was held in the Market Square at the same time as the Horse Fair. The square is filled with stalls which continue on down High Street. The sign 'Robinson Cheap Butcher' can be seen in the square.
This picture must have been taken some time between 1926 and 1938 because that was the period when Bertie Clark, seen here on the fiddle, played in Bampton.
They are dancing at the East end of the Market Square.
These are just two photographs taken during the Easter Bonnet competition in 1993. John Tanner and his children Nelson and Stephanie can be seen in one picture and Helen Buckingham, Stephanie again and Ann Jackson amongst other can be seen in the second one.
Between 1926 and 1938 Bertie Clark, although not a Bampton man, played for the Bampton Morris Men and he can be seen here on the left. The dancers are on the South side of the Market Square in front of Folly View semi-detached houses.
Dave Rose is seen dancing outside the Talbot on May Bank Holiday Monday in 1980. Roy Shergold is fooling and a young Shaun Mullis can be seen resting on a car.
May Bank Holiday 1986 the two visiting sides with Bampton Traditional Morris Men under squire Francis Shergold were Rumworth also called Manley Morris and South Downs. Most of these pictures are of Rumworth, the last two are South Downs.
A newspaper cutting about the Easter Bonnet competition held in Bampton in the forecourt of the Jubilee Inn. The judges were Jean Judge from Radio Oxford and Don Bradbury of the Horse Shoe. Debra Bradbury won first prize. The Pumpkin Club organised the competition. Ruth Wheeler won the adult section.
Over the Bank Holiday weekend at Whitsun 1985. Ian Baker and Ivan Lomas won the fancy dress competition held prior to the Shirt Race. Reg Hall enjoyed a pint between playing on the Monday. Terry Rouse danced in as the fool outside the Horse Shoe.
This picture is of Bell Cottage which was visible briefly across the Market Square after Market Square Garage was completely removed and before Thornberry Flats were built on the site. The people living in the cottage at the time couldn't wait for the flats to go up to regain their privacy. The little lane, known by long-time locals as 'Back of The Bell' got its name from the Bell Inn which used to be where the Village Hall stands today. The Inn was bought by three ladies in 1923 for conversion into the WI Hall. In the 1980s the WI could no longer afford the upkeep of the building and it became the Village Hall ... next to the Town Hall.
These three photographs are of one of the visiting sides to Bampton in 1985 dancing in the Market Square outside the Village Hall in two pictures and at the West end of the Square in the third picture.
