Bunbury Fete 84-96 Dee Evans, Custodian, Beeston Castle
For more years than I care to admit Bunbury Fete was a popular option of "somewhere to go" on August Bank Holiday.
Early in 1984 I became Head Custodian at Beeston Castle; during an archaeological "dig" that year, some large metal rings embedded in concrete were unearthed. They were the anchors that held the marquee in the days when the fete was held high on the hillside below the modern bridge.
Nowadays the marquees are erected on the Lower Green inside the Outer Wall and Gatehouse built by Lord Tollemache in the 1840s. Holding the fete on Lower Ground was a relief to all especially Mr Bulger who arrived every year armed with a scythe and pikel to cut away large swathes of bracken to make room for stalls etc. In 1987 we cut back more bracken than usual and when Mr Bulger arrived he was delighted to see the reemergence of the '"Coronation Stone''. This stone marks the spot where the Fete Queen used to be crowned in bygone days and can be seen today. Cathy Broster organised the Fete and a huge effort was made by Bunbury folk to make a great day out. The sun usually came out but one year, 1989 I think, it rained so hard that a river came down the hill straight through the tea tent. But the local people still arrived, wet and bedraggled, trooping through the gates in hundreds. Many were carrying an assortment of perfectly groomed entrants for the Dog Show. Not one drop of rain was allowed to get on those canine coats before the show.
Linda Martin took over from Cathy in 1991 and the Fete continued to be a success right up to last year, 1995, when she retired.
I wish the Fete many more successful years and I have enjoyed my August Bank Holiday "Fete Days''. 1996 will be my last year as Head Custodian as I too will retire in July 1997. However I look forward to having the time to enjoy the Fete in a leisurely way for many more years as a paying visitor.