Hundreds of revelling residents have celebrated Rothwell’s ancient proclamation ceremony to mark the start of the annual Rowell Fair.
Town streets echoed to the sounds of a brass band, horse hooves, singing, cheers and scuffling, starting at the six o’clock chimes.
Bailiff Frank York, astride a horse and accompanied by his bodyguard of halberdiers, read out the charter seven times at sites of pubs.
Before being physically challenged to relinquish their halberds, the men prepared for the ‘fight’ with a tot of rum and milk at each stop.
He said: “I was seriously worried about my voice – it started to go yesterday – but it’s gone well.”
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