Principal Markets and Fairs in South Wales

Copied from Kelly's Directory South Wales 1910, specifically with the publisher's permission from the CD of the same title by Archive CD Books .

Extracted by Gareth Hicks, October 2003

Places are in alphabetical order, the counties are not indicated but I see that it includes entries for Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Breconshire, Glamorgan, Monmouthshire, Radnorshire.

Aberavon, fair on first monday in April & September for pleasure; market day, Saturday

Aberayron, fairs on March 14, April 10, May 4, last Wednesday in July & October, November 13 & December 20

Aberdare, fairs April 1 & 16 & November 13, for cattle. Market day, saturday

Aberystwyth, fairs May 10 & September for horses & cattle, & the two first mondays after November 12 for hiring servants. Market days, monday & saturday & cattle fair or market is held on the first monday in every month

Ammanford, market day, saturday

Brecon, fairs first tuesday in every month & the third tuesday in May, June, July, August, September, October, November & December. The first tuesday in May & November are pleasure & hiring fairs. Market day friday, for cattle, sheep &c

Bridgend, fairs April 1, holy thursday & November 17. A great market on the first & third monday in every month

Brynmawr, fairs on Whit monday & the monday before September 25. Market day, saturday

Builth, fairs for cattle, sheep & pigs, February 16, monday next before May 12, June 27, Builth feast, last week in August, October 2 & Dom fair December 6; for horses on January 31, April 16, July 17 & October 16; when any of the above days fall on a sunday the fair is held on the following monday. Market day, monday

Caerphilly, fairs for cattle, February 28, April 4 & 5, Trinity thursday, July 19, August 25, October 9, November 16, & the thursday before Christmas. Market day on thursday, principally for the sale of cheese

Capel Cynon, fairs on Ascension day & Michaelmas day

Cardiff, fairs on Whit monday, second wednesday in March, April & May, June 29, September 19 & November 30. Market day, saturday

Cardigan, fairs are held on the last saturday in April, on May 1st if it falls on a saturday (barley), in June (wool), November 10 (hiring) & December 22 (goose). Market day, saturday

Carmarthen, March 15 & 16, April 15 & 16, June 3 & 4, July 10, August 12 & 13, September 9, October 9, & November 14 & 15, all for cattle. Market day, saturday; & a cattle market the third tuesday in every month

Cowbridge, tuesday before March 25, May 4, June 24, September 29th & the first tuesday in December.  Market day, tuesday & a market the first tuesday in every month, chiefly for cattle

Crickhowell, May 12 & September 22. Market day, thursday, chiefly for provisions; monthly market, second thursday in each month

Crymmych, market for fat stock last tuesday in each month

Devynock, April 16, & second tuesday in July for cattle & sheep. Market held every friday at Senny Bridge & a stock market every tuesday

Eglwyswrw, meigan, cattle fair, first monday after Nov 2

Fishguard, fairs on thursday in every month, October 8 & 9 (hiring). Market day, thursday

Gelligaer (village), March 25, Wean fairs, May 13, Trinity monday, September 2 & 24, second monday after 10th October & November 20

Little Haven, Pembrokeshire, November 1, hiring

Haverfordwest, second tuesday in January, second tuesday in February, third tuesday in March, second tuesday in April, May, June (wool & stock), July & August, September 6, third tuesday in September, October 5 (hiring), third tuesday in October, second tuesday in November & December. Market day, saturday

Hay, for stock on the second Tuesday in every month, & also on the last tuesday in August & September; the old May hiring fairs are held on May 17 & 18. Market day, thursday

Herbrandston, Old Michaelmas day (hiring fair), Oct 10

Kidwelly, October 29 for hiring

Knighton, fairs held monthly for sale of stock. Market day, thursday

Lampeter, January 11, February 6, March 11, May 7 & 8 (horse fair); saturday before Easter, Whit wednesday, June 16, July 10, August 15, September 19, October 19 & the saturday following November 13, principally for cattle. Market day, friday & a cattle market the last monday in each month

Letterston, fair on the third monday in every month, for cattle, horses, sheep & pigs

Llanarth, fairs Jan 12, March 12, June 17 & September 22

Llanbadarn, see Penybont

Llandeloy, May 1, June 25, August 24 & November 1

Llandilo, February 20, monday before Easter (for cattle, pigs & flannel), May 5 & 14, June 21, July 28, August 23, September 28, October 28, November 12 & 22 (for horses & horned cattle) & the monday before Christmas day (for horses, horned cattle, pigs & welsh flannel). All cattle & horse fairs are followed next day by a pig fair. Market day, saturday & there is a market for fat & store cattle, sheep & pigs every monday & on the 2nd & 4th tuesday in each month & for fat & store cattle & store sheep & lambs every tuesday between the 2nd tuesday in May & the last tuesday in June

Llandovery, fairs for cattle & horses, January 16, February 16, March 24, April 17, May 15, June 19, July 8, August 2, September 8, October 22, November 16 & December 15; any of the above dates falling on a sunday the fair is held on the following monday, except for the fair fixed for July 8, which in such event is held on the preceding saturday. The day following each of the above (except february 16 & July 8) is for the sale of sheep & pigs, Market day, fri

Llandyssil, market day, tuesday, for farm produce & stock

Llanelly, fairs Ascension thursday, September 30 & October 1(?). Market days, tuesday, thursday & saturday, the two latter being the principal ones

Llangadog, fairs March 12, last thursday in May, July 9, first thursday after September 11, second thursday after Old Michaelmas day & December 5. Stock market, third monday in each month

Llanstephan, August 8, for pleasure

Llantrisant, February 13, May 12, August 12 & October 29

Llantwit Major, June 22. Market day, monday

Llanybyther, stock fairs, April 26, July 21, November 1 & 21; stock & sheep, first monday in September; sheep, October 30 & 31 & November 20 & a wool fair on July 17. Markets are held the first & third monday in each month

Loughor, fairs first monday in June & October 10, the latter a large horse fair

Maensclochog, Pembrokeshire, fairs held on the tuesday following the third monday in March, April, May, July, August, October, November & December & the tuesday & wednesday following  the third monday in September

Maesteg, market day, saturday

Mathry, fairs on October 10 (stock), October 11 (pigs & hiring fair)

Merthyr Tydfil, fairs on March 18, June 18 & November 18. Market day, saturday

Narberth, monthly on the wednesday following the Haverfordwest fair, and this is ruled by the dates of the fairs at Carew & Pembroke; a second fair is held in October for the hiring of servants; only two fairs have fixed dates & these are held on June 2 & 29. The fairs held here are noted for the sale of the famous black cattle of the Castle Martin breed. Market day, thursday

Neath, last wednesday in March; hiring fair, also stock, horse & wool, 1st & 2nd wednesdays after May 12; June, Trinity wednesday; July, last wednesday, cattle & horse; also the great pleasure fair of the year, October, last wednesday; hiring & horse & cattle, 1st & 2nd wednesday after 12 th November. Market days, wednesday (which is the principal market) & saturday. There is also a market for the sale of horses, cattle &c. on the last wednesday in every month

Newcastle Emlyn, market day, friday

Newcastle Little, fairs on May 6, July 10 & December 19

New Quay, fair on November 12

Pembroke, fair for pleasure & hiring, October 10 & the saturday following. Market day, saturday & a cattle market on the last monday in each month

Pembroke Dock, market day, friday

Pencarreg, cattle fair, October 11

Pencoed, first monday in June & second monday in October

Penybont, third friday in March, May 13 & 14, August 5 & 24, September 25, October 16 (for horses), October 26. Market day, wednesday

Pontypridd, Easter monday for pleasure. Market day, wednesday & a produce fair every saturday

Presteigne, second saturday in January, first saturday in February, March & April, May 9, June 20, third saturday in July, last saturday in August & September (the date of which alters), saturday before Hereford October fair; third saturday in November & second saturday in December. Market day, wednesday

New Radnor, last friday in February, friday before June 20, August 14, September 10 & October 28 & 29 (horse & cattle)

Ram (Lampeter station), cattle fair, first saturday after 13th September

Rhayader, fairs held about once a month commencing in February. Market day, wednesday & a great market the last wednesday in every month; a special poultry market is held annually on 22nd December

St Clears, hiring fair annually on 12th October; market for fat & store stock first tuesday in every month & weekly butter market on friday

St Davids, first tuesday in March, June, August, October (hiring) & December

St Mary Hill, August 26 for horses & cattle

Senny Bridge, see Devynock

Swansea, second saturday in May, July 2, August 15, October 8. Market days, wednesday & saturday, also daily

Talgarth, 2nd tuesday in January, February 2, March 12, April 18, 2nd tuesday in May (hiring & pleasure), May 31, July 10, August 10, September 23, October 13, November 2 (hiring & pleasure) & December 3; when these dates fall on a sunday the fair is held on the following monday. Market day, friday

Tenby, July 31 & two following days for pleasure. Market days, saturday & wednesday

Tregaron, tuesday before the first wednesday in each month for cattle, Whit tuesday for cattle, March 16 & 17, May 4th for horses. Market day, tuesday

Wiston, November 8

[6 October 2003 - Gareth Hicks]