Martinmass: Roger Bingham sketches a mixed religious and agricultural celebration traditionally held on November 11

AS ALL the world knows, if only from the impressive centenary celebrations in 2018, November 11 is nowadays hailed as a 'Remembrance Day', marking the cease fire in the First World War.

But our ancestors knew the date as Martinmass, which was named after a French saint, who is so obscure that only two Cumbrian churches are dedicated to him, respectively at Brampton and at Windermere Parish Church, Bowness.

Even so, the Victorians embellished Bowness church with a carving depicting the saint dividing his soldier's cloak with his sword, in order to a clothe a naked beggar.

Nevertheless, as is indicated by its 'mass' ending, Martinmass was a church celebration.

But our agricultural ancestors saw it as also marking an important date in the farming year. Just as Whitsuntide in late spring was deemed as the start of 'hay-timing', half a year later the Autumnal Martinmass (ironically in view of the date's coincidence with the Great War) was the peak of the slaughtering season.

Martinmass fairs mainly provided a market for stock which, because of the shortage of winter fodder, could not be 'fed-on' into the spring.

At Penrith Market in 1690 'they killed 300-400 beasts every day'. In around 1750 at what was recorded as a poor market in Burton-in-Kendal '80 pigs in a day were sold at the giveaway price of a farthing each'.

Martinmass also involved 'hiring fairs' for agricultural labourers. Well into the 20th century older folk recalled workers with a 'short-straw' in their hats 'standing to be hired on the street'.

Once agreed the hireling's term was sealed with 'yarn', traditionally a shilling, which was quickly dispensed with in 'the open all hours' pubs.

At Milnthorpe, which in around 1840 had 11 hostelries, the resulting uproarious scenes caused the vicar, the Rev Padwick, to campaign successfully, against 'Sunday Hirings', an achievement which is commemorated on his monument in the church.

Terms for six monthly labour (with full 'board') varied, as did the often humiliating job descriptions. In 1667 'a good woman who can bake commanded £2 half yearly'; an 'inferior woman £1:10s'; 'Chief Plough man £4:10s'; an 'inferior hind fit only for looking after beasts £2'.

Throughout the ages, a farmer could hire a employee for a lesser sum than he could get for a beast. In 1872 a calving cow could bring £22 but 'a good man could still be got for £12 a year'.

In Kendal the Martinmass Fair was held all around the town. Until the New Shambles were opened in 1832 'the knights of the cleaver' exercised their sanguinary art in the open streets.

Livestock was displayed from Beast Banks, down All Hallows Lane, through the Market Place and into Stramongate.

In 1851, following complaints that 'the noise they made was more than the shopkeepers could stand', cattle sales were transferred from Highgate to the horse trading area on the New Road.

About the same time the back-end fun fair migrated from Gooseholme to the New Road, where on a site, recently designated as 'a common', it has stubbornly survived as a remnant of former Martinmass revels.