800th birthday party for Halesworth's rich history

Halesworth was granted a market charter by Henry III in 1223, and it is now home to about 5,000 people.

Its market charter was originally granted to Richard de Argentein for a Tuesday market in the town, in return for £2 a year.

Parades march through the town on its 800th birthday (Image: Halesworth Town Council)

Eight centuries later, the town's market is still going strong, though it now takes place on Wednesdays.

To celebrate the anniversary, on Saturday Halesworth Town Park was turned into a medieval encampment.

It included archery, battle tournaments with soft swords, spectacular fire-breathing displays and many other side shows.  

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Traditional celebrations of the Town's 800th birthday (Image: Halesworth Town Council)

A Halesworth Town Council spokesperson said: "We had a great day on Saturday. 

"It was a fantastic turnout, the town was very busy and it was an especially good day for the children with lots of things to do throughout the day."

Circle 67 wrote and performed a play based on the carvings on the beam at the Ancient House, formerly owned by Richard de Argentein.

It was called the 'Wooing of Master Fox' and took place in a life-sized Punch & Judy style theatre.  

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Punch and Judy in the Halesworth Market Place on its 800th birthday (Image: Halesworth Town Council)

Richard de Argentein was the Lord of the Manor, who obtained the Market Charter from Henry III in 1223 for two small horses, called palfreys, and £2 a year.

The 'Black Knight Historical' group created an amusing reenactment of this deal in the Market Place.

In attendance were the chair of the council Joyce Moseley, other town, district and county councillors and the Suffolk Coastal MP, Therese Coffey.

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Fire breathing display at Halesworth Town Park on its 800th birthday (Image: Halesworth Town Council)

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All who took part in the anniversary procession carried heraldic shields designed by local school children.

Town historian David Wollweber, who has been involved in organising the anniversary, had said charters were a money-making idea for the local lords of the manor and the monarch who granted them.

Mike Page's aerial photo of Halesworth (Image: Mike Page)

One of the images from Halesworth's Saving the 70s project. A fire at Lloyd's bank in Thoroughfare in 1971, being attended by the volunteer firemen of the Auxiliary Fire Service. (Image: Halesworth Museum)

A packed Halesworth Thoroughfare for the town's annual Christmas Light's Switch-on ceremony (Image: Submitted)

Halesworth Carnival procession in 1989. (Image: Halesworth Museum)

Halesworth Christmas Food and Drink Market in the town's Market Place (Image: Katie Button)

A postcard showing how the former Halesworth to Southwold line once looked. (Image: Halesworth and District Museum)

Halesworth Train Station, dated 1956 (Image: Archant)

The view of the damage caused by the fire at Patricks Newsagents in Halesworth (Image: Ben Horne)

Majorettes performing in Halesworth Carnival in 1992. (Image: Halesworth Museum)

Halesworth, the Thoroughfare, the main street looking in the Bungay direction. The picture shows Midland Bank and on the right is Branford and Son, Jewellers. Dated March 10, 1961 (Image: Archant Archive)