In Ulverston ‘The Charter’ is the one granted by Edward I in 1280 to hold market days on Thursdays and an annual fair in early September.

This was requested by Roger of Lancaster and one of the reasons for the market at the northern border of his duchy, I presume, was to attract customers from the adjoining areas of Cumberland and Westmorland. The king seemed well aware of this manoeuvre and commanded that the market should be held with ‘no damage to neighbouring markets or fairs’ – an early example of the dreaded ‘politicks’.

In 1752, when 11 days were omitted in the changeover from the Julian to Gregorian calendar, the days of the charter were not changed. However, the Charter Festival now lasts for a week instead of the three days granted in the original charter. The main days are of course at the weekend.

This year we kick-off with a coffee morning on September 10 at the Coronation Hall at 9.30 am. Raffles, books, cakes and other things which will make people want to come are promised and the profits will go to the mayor’s charities. Of course, on Saturday the 12th is the lantern procession for which Ulverston is justly famous, but during the day is a Medieval Market from 11.00 am to 4.00 pm in the town centre.

The charter week concludes on the Saturday the 19th with a lunch time recital of medieval music and song from The Dorian Players in the Coronation Hall supper room from 12.30 pm onwards.

When Edward I signed the charter, he could scarcely have imagined that the fun-filled festival - nowadays with its face painting, fun fair, craft demonstrations and turnip competitions - would still be taking place in Ulverston 700 years after his demise.

As the town mayor I will be taking part in as many activities as I can manage to attend but the real success will be if the town’s people show their support in as many of the activities as they can and encourage the participants to do their best in their endeavours.

Dr Bharath Rajan, Mayor of Ulverston