The people of Oxfordshire certainly know how to enjoy themselves, and take part in many varied and remarkable customs, sports and traditions that are held annually around the county. Some of these, like the May Morning and Beating the Bounds, go back for centuries but have been altered and adapted over the years. Others are relatively recent revivals, such as the agricultural show at Thame, which is Victorian in origin. The last fifty years has seen an unprecedented number of new celebrations, which have become traditions in their own right. Foremost among these are the Cropredy and Towersey folk festivals. Above all, these events are community-based and often also charity fund-raisers. Some of those featured here include the Bampton Great Shirt race, egg jarping at Chinnor, the Banbury Hobby Horse festival, Abingdon Morris Dancers Mock Mayor Elections, the Pumpkin Club, and the pub game Aunt Sally, which is virtually unknown outside of the county, among many others. Illustrated with 180 superb photographs, this book features funfairs and fetes, celebrations and carnivals, games and shows, each one a unique celebration of Oxfordshire's heritage.

About the Author
MARILYN YURDAN attended Holton Park Grammar School for Girls in Oxfordshire during the 1950s. She went on to work as Assistant Custodian at the University of Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre for twenty-two years. She has been awarded a Master of Studies in English Local History from the University of Oxford, and has written numerous books, including Oxford in the 1950s and '60s.


Book Information
ISBN 9780752457437
Author Marilyn Yurdan
Format Paperback
Page Count 128
Imprint The History Press Ltd
Publisher The History Press Ltd
Weight(grams) 300g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 170mm * 10mm