The origin of this Fair—like that of most of the great fairs of the world—is involved in obscurity. The first trace of it is found in a charter granted about 1211 by King John to the Lepers of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen at Sturbridge, by Cambridge—a fair to be held in the Close of the Hospital on the Vigil and Feast of the Holy Cross.

The Commissioners appointed by Edward I. to make inquiry into the rights and revenue of the Crown, visited Cambridge; and concerning its several markets and fairs reported (inter alia) the existence of this fair to which fact I shall make further reference, under date 1278.

Whatever its origin, it became in a comparatively short time after the period of which I am now speaking the most important fair held in Great Britain, and some writers have declared—without much apparent information to guide them—in the world. The incidents in its history are so remarkable, and throw so much light upon the customs of our forefathers, that I propose to give them in considerable detail. They have been brought together from various sources—the chief being Cooper’s “Annals of Cambridge,” compiled by Charles Henry Cooper, F.S.A., who held the office of Town Clerk, and who consequently had unrestricted access to the records. The “History and Antiquities of Barnwell Abbey,” 1786, has been largely consulted. While the ample notes appended to the “Life of Ambrose Bonwicke,” as edited by Prof. John E. B. Mayor, M.A., 1870, have been made available. I have followed as best suited to the circumstances, a strictly chronological arrangement.

As questions continually arise in the progress of our record regarding the rights of the town of Cambridge over the fair, it will be well here briefly to indicate how these may have arisen. In the inquisition of the Commissioners already referred to, it is recorded that “the keepers of this Hospital hold twenty four acres and a half of land in Cambridge field, for the support of the Lepers therein dwelling according to ancient right and custom.” From other sources it appears that the Hospital was at the disposal of the burgesses of Cambridge previous to 1245; but that about this time Hugh de Northwold, the then Bishop of Ely “unjustly got the patronage of it.” The burgesses still claimed that the advowson of the Hospital “belonged by right to them.” The fact probably being that the hospital was established by the town, before it was converted into a religious foundation; that upon such conversion the Church claimed sole jurisdiction; but as the original grant of land was not relinquished the townsmen still asserted their interest; and it will be seen, in the end—and after centuries of conflict—obtained it. See 1544.

There is a further element of conflict, of a far more pertinacious character than the preceding, running almost entirely through our six centuries of record—and this is with the University, as distinguished from the Town, of Cambridge. It was the custom to grant to University towns very large powers regarding the food supplies, i.e. the control of the markets; as also, and necessarily, the control of the morals, and therefore the amusements, of the scholars. Such a fair as that of Sturbridge affected alike the food supplies, and the moral discipline of the students; and hence the whole machinery of the University was put in force to secure and maintain control. It is in this view that many of the details of the University Proclamation of the Fair (see 1548) can alone be explained. On the other hand the Town authorities always had in view their rights over the Lepers Hospital; and hence their reversion in the tolls of the fair. Other points will make themselves apparent; but these are the broad views from which many of the following incidents have to be regarded.

Name of the Fair.—The first point of interest is the name of the Fair. It is occasionally spelled in such a manner as to be entirely misleading as to its locality; and hence many have come to regard it as being in the western, instead of the eastern part of the kingdom. The spelling indeed has varied much at different periods. The original designation was Steresbrigg, so called from the little river of Stere, or Sture flowing into the Cam, near Cambridge. There have been several fanciful origins assigned by those who were too indolent to investigate proper sources: such as (by Bloomfield) that it was derived from the toll paid for all young cattle, or steers passing over the bridge! I have throughout this record followed the spelling of the authorities under quotation.