But its history is discontinuous and there are no really ancient references.
When you visit it, none of that really matters because this is a people's festival. It is here because ordinary people want it to be here and not because the local council planned it.
It is supposedly timed to take place in co-ordination with Plough Monday, the day when the agricultural workers get back to work after the mid winter break.
It may be, but there seemed to be a distinct lack of agricultural workers about and even fewer (if any) ploughs.
The beer was good and plentiful and the local Wetherspoons was providing sport by roping off part of the public town square and putting its own garden furniture, chairs, tables and brollies, there. The upshot of which was that dogs were banned on at least a small corner of the square (Wetherspoons doesn't do dogs). This is quite an eccentric thing to do in a heavily dog orientated community.
The Wetherspoons was none the less filled to brim with thirsty drinkers, a tribute to offering good beers at cheap prices.
Jonathan Brind