Caravan to Appleby Fair
- Oil on canvas
- 20 x 16 in
- Andre Pater
-
Sold
$30,000. - 50,000.
The Appleby Horse Fair is an annual gathering of Gypsies and travelers in the town of Appleby in Westmoreland, England. Traditionally held in early June, British, Irish & Scottish Romanichal travelers descend upon the market town in traditional caravans and campers in order to take part in the largest Gypsy Fair in Europe. Originating from a charter issued by James II in 1685, the fair traces its roots to two separate events. The medieval borough fair held at Whitsuntied until 1885 & the New Fair, an un-bestowed event held on Gallows Hill beginning in 1775. A means for sheep and cattle drovers as well as horse traders to sell their stock, by the 1900s the fair had evolved into a major Gypsy and traveler occasion.
The fair is not organized by an individual group or specific entity, but a Shera or Head Romani is appointed to oversee the technical aspects of the fair and to serve as a liaison with local authority. Activities take place predominantly on Fair Hill and Market Field, while horse trading occurs on what is known as the flashing lane. Horses are shown by trotting up and down at speed. A large majority of the horses are stationed in the town centre beside the River Eden, where they are ridden directly into the river to be washed and often tied up across from the local pub. Apart from the horses one can find fortune tellers, palm readers, and assorted vendors of merchandise traditional to the traveler groups.