Bishop's Castle gears up for a week of 450th charter anniversary celebrations
Bishop's Castle is revving up to celebrate the 450th anniversary of it being granted a charter by Queen Elizabeth I.
The actual anniversary of the granting of the charter is on Sunday, July 16, and the good folk of the south Shropshire town are planning to pull out all the stops on the day and in the week before to mark the auspicious occasion.
It meant that the town became self-governing instead of being dependent on the bishops.
The Charter group, led by the mayor, is planning a street fair on the 16th and members are looking forward to as many people as possible dressing in Tudor style and costume making workshops at the Public Hall have helped with simple solutions to looking the part.
A number of businesses will either be opening their shops or having a stall outside their premises and local groups and individuals have been invited to take a stall as part of the street fair.
Stallholders have agreed to dress themselves and their stall in keeping with the Tudor theme and the advice is “If in doubt wrap it in hessian and drape it in greenery!”
As part of the street fair there will be a procession from the churchyard after the Sunday service, which is expected to finish around 12 noon.
This will be led by His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, the Mayor and his councillors and will make its way up to the Town Hall, where someone bearing a remarkable resemblance to Queen Elizabeth I will present the Mayor with the Charter.
Anybody in costume is invited to gather in the churchyard or on Church Bank to join the procession, which will take about 45 minutes to arrive at the Town Hall.
Events in the week running up include:
Wednesday July 12 – Charter Exhibition in the Public Hall including a look back at 1973’s 400 year anniversary celebrations 2pm to 7.30pm.
At 7.30pm Catherine Murphy will be leading a walk In search of Charter Oaks, starting at the Public Hall.
Thursday July 13 – Charter Exhibition 2pm-7.30pm and Shades from the Past, presented by SWSHAS at SpArC Theatre at 7.30pm. Attendees will be able to “meet in person some of the men and women who helped to shape our town’s history."
Friday July 14 – Charter Exhibition 2pm-5pm also Mayor’s evening BBQ, live music and bonfire on the Playing Fields from 7pm.
Saturday July 15 – Charter Exhibition 10am – 5pm. Afternoon tea and music in the Old Vicarage garden 2pm-5pm.
Sunday July 16 – Charter Exhibition 10am – 5pm (closed during costume parade approx. 12-1pm). Street fair 10am-4pm.
Bishop’s Castle 450 Year Charter Celebration is supported by Bishop’s Castle Town Council.
