Bartholomew Fair fan (1721)

Charles Wriothesley (see also March 18th posting) wrote in his “Chronicle of England during the Reigns of the Tudors …”  that on this day in 1538:

 “At Clerkenwell, where the wrestling is kept, after the wrestling was done, there was hanged … the hangman of London [Cratwell] … for robbinge a booth in Bartlemewe fayre, which said hangman had done execution in London since the Holy Maid of Kent [*] was hanged, and was a conninge butcher in quartering of men”.

West Smithfield, where the Bartholomew Fair was held, is visited on various of our walks, including the “Historic Smithfield, Clerkenwell and Holborn” standard.

Further details of all our walks are available in the “Our Guided Walks” section.

Bookings may be made through the “Contact/Booking” section of the web-site (www.lostcityoflondon.co.uk), or by e-mail (lostcityoflondon@sky.com).

[*] The “Holy Maid of Kent”, incidentally, was Elizabeth Barton, who was executed in 1534 (see April 20th posting).