The Woolmarket is
History
Horndon-on-the-Hill remains one of the most charming and historically intriguing villages in this area.
The church of St. Peter & St. Paul is the parish church for Horndon on the Hill and is part of the Parish of Horndon, Orsett and Bulphan. It’s position at the highest point in the village makes it a prominent local landmark.
The Feast and Fayre traditional event dates back to the 13th Century when the village was granted a Royal Charter to hold a feast and celebration on the last weekend in June.
The Feast and Fayre was revived in 1974 when a descendant of the original squire of the area was asked to preside over a pleasantly warm weekend and about a dozen runners attempted the first ever Horndon 10k.
When the Feast and Fayre was revived, the church was open during the weekend with a themed Flower Festival, this tradition continues and is always beautiful to see.
Food and drink is still at the centre of the celebrations at the church so come in for a cuppa with a slice or two of cake while listening to musical interludes. You’ll be made very welcome!
Horndon Feast & Fayre is part of Britain’s heritage and we are committed to keeping that tradition alive.
Every year the Feast and Fayre has a different theme. The entertainment for the weekend is chosen to be in keeping with the theme where possible.
Please join us in a village steeped in history to enjoy all types of entertainment, stalls, crafts, food and drink.
Living History- The Woolmarket
Celebrating 500 years of the Woolmarket
Horndon is full of history and has sixteen listed buildings in the Conservation Area, (One is the red phone box). This year the Woolmarket is officially five hundred years old. We know little about its origins, but it is first mentioned in official records in 1525 as the seat of the village court, which was previously held in Arden Hall.
Over the centuries the Woolmarket has had many functions. Wool and wheat were traded in the open ground floor area. The market square behind it had, at one time, seventy stalls and workshops for production and sale of all goods needed by the community from bread to candlesticks.
Richer people had a duty in those days to care for the elderly and widows. In 1718 a carpenter was paid £55 to adapt the building into an almshouse. In 1773 the John Poley Charity for Relief of the Poor was set up to continue to fund this use
By the 1960s it became unsuitable for habitation and the Council rehoused the two elderly ladies who were living there. In 1970 a radical restoration to its original form was carried out by a team of skilled local craftsmen.
In the present day, we are fortunate to have a fine community hall. Many meetings are now held there by groups including the Horndon Society/Community Forum, the committee of volunteers organising the Feast and Fayre, musicians and artists, beekeepers, wine appreciation societies and others.
Dave Staines Horndon 10k Race
This very enjoyable challenge has now become a highlight of the weekend's activities and brings hundreds of serious athletes and fun runners back to Horndon for what is a great family day out.
Please head over to the 10k website for more information about this event and previous years.
Click image for website
Programme
Saturday
Sunday
The Swan
The Bell
Stall Holders
Stalls are available to hire. Each stall is 3x3 meters. There are options to be inside one of our village buildings, outside on the High Road or on our new area in front of the Church on Mill Lane. We do have limited availability for stalls outside with electricity, these are allocated as bookings are received however here is a limited number available.
Please click on the links below to find out more and fill in an application form.
Volunteers
All the members of the Feast and Fayre Organising Committee are volunteers, there are only a few of us and an event of this scale takes a lot of work so we are always looking for people who are willing to help.
Volunteering is extremely rewarding, the Horndon Feast and Fayre is a great event and we always have a really fun weekend.
If you have ever been interested in helping out, even if its only for an hour we would love to hear from you. The Volunteer application form is a chance to let us know what you would like to do and for how long.
This year we are trialing a volunteer reward scheme, this means you will receive a voucher for a drink or food at one of the many vendors (details TBC)
All money raised goes to local Groups, Charities and Societies. Over the weekend we endeavour to raise as much money as we can to help these great causes.
Sponsors
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Amanda Keasley Interiors
Curtains - Pelmets - All types of Blinds Scatter Cushions - Tiebacks
T. 01375 644628
M. 07973 466169
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FAQs
Road Closures
*The High Road is closed from the junction with Hillcrest Road to the Ostlers.
*Mill Lane is Closed from the junction with Stephens Cresent to the High Road.
There is no vehicular access on these roads from 9am to 6pm on both days.
Parking
Parking is situated at the Recreation ground on Orsett Road, SS17 8NR. Please refrain from parking around the village as this impedes access for emergency vehicles.
Disabled Parking/Accessibility
Disabled Parking is available at the Primary School on Mill Lane but is limited.
Toilets
Toilets are available in The Woolmarket, The Village Hall, The Methodist Hall, The Church, The Swan, and The Bell Inn.
Accessible toilets are available in The Village Hall, The Woolmarket and The Bell Inn.
Food and Drink
There are multiple places to get a large variety of food and drink throughout the village including;
The Bell Inn, The Swan, The Ostlers, Reddingtons Butchers, The Church, The Methodist Hall, The Woolmarket and various street vendors.
Public Transport
The closest public transport is situated in Stanford Le Hope, this consists of a regular bus service with stops near to the foot bridge at the bottom of South Hill and the Fenchurch St to Southend train line.
ATM
There is no current ATM in the village. There is a small Post office with the ability to dispense cash but only during opening hours. The Post Office is on Orsett Road behind the Shop.
