Ed. The following is by the late Peter Edmonds and was last published in Ad Vincula in September 2019.
Way back in 1988, I was researching for the first production of The Hill by the Water Meadow, a pageant with some history, some stories and legends about our village Wisborough Green. I came across a letter, held by the History Society, from the Public Record Office. The letter was addressed to the Chairman of the Parish Council and was dated, I think, in 1897. The letter was in answer to an enquiry about the existence of a royal fair charter pertaining to the annual fair on the Green. It was, sadly, a letter of denial, saying that all such charters had been destroyed by Henry VIII during his campaign against all customs associated with the Roman Catholic Church.
I was feeling optimistic that the search, ninety years before, had been less than enthusiastic; I was certain that such important historical documents would have been hidden away somewhere. My faith proved to be well founded, and Hilary & I booked an appointment at the Kew Record Office.
On arrival we went through some formalities to become “readers”, and were then directed to a desk, behind which were numerous pigeon holes containing documents that had been requested for viewing. We were given white cotton gloves before being handed a large Charter Roll of ancient parchment. There are long tables on which items like this can be unfurled and inspected. With trembling hands we rolled out the parchment revealing many documents also of the same material and stitched on. As far as we could determine, all these documents were written in similar fashion and in “Dog Latin”, but there was enough clarity for us to find our target, the word Wisebregh [pronounced like Edinburgh].
Buzzing with excitement at the opportunity we had been given to handle an object so old, we returned home with a new quest to find someone who could translate for us. By an amazing coincidence, there was a lady in the village who had studied the language and she was able to produce a very commendable text. [The names of the signatories were confirmed from other historical records.]
Peter Edmonds
Henry King of England [Henry III]
Be it known that we have conceded and conferred by this charter to our beloved clerk Eustace, Archdeacon of Lewes, that he may authorise and hold one fair each year at Wisebregh on three days, that is on the vigil, the feast and the morrow of St Peter Ad Vincula, always providing that this fair does not adversely affect neighbouring fairs. For which cause, we will and firmly order that the said Archdeacon shall have the said fair for ever with all liberalities and free customs belonging to a fair of this nature.
Peter de Rupibus, Bishop of Winchester
Jocelin of Wells, Bishop of Bath
Richard Poore, Bishop of Salisbury
Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent.
By the hand of our Venerable father, Ralph Neville, Bishop of Chichester, our Chancellor at Westminster, this twenty-eighth day of April in the year of Our Lord one thousand two hundred and twenty seven, being the eleventh year of our reign.