MEDIEVAL history has been brought back to life with the revival of Nottingham's first famous fair.
Lenton Priory was renowned in the Middle Ages for its annual Martinmas Fair, which was held over Martinmas – November 11 – to celebrate the start of winter.
Now the trading fair has been revived through a "living history" event, which organisers hope will become an annual fixture in Nottingham's calendar.
It featured costumed characters, medieval battles and a street market at the Priory Church of St Anthony, which was once part of the Lenton Priory, on Saturday.
Volunteer Rebecca Buck, of Eastwood, said it was great to see so many people take interest in such an important historical event.
The 32-year-old said: "I think it was a fabulous idea to revive it. From the feedback I have been getting , it is something that not a lot of people seemed to know about. People have enjoyed learning about the history, which makes all this worthwhile."
The priory, founded in 1106-7, was the largest church and monastery in the region.
It was closed on the orders of Henry VIII in 1538 and almost all its buildings demolished.
Charlotte Clarke, 58, travelled from Cotgrave to take her grandchildren to the fair. She said: "I think it is a really good idea to revive it and I hope it will get bigger every year.
"The grandkids really loved it – especially the re-enactments."
Fiona Corbett, manager of Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership, which organised the fair, added: "I had been fantastic and really exciting to get involved with. Hopefully people have gone away with a sense of what it was like in medieval times."
Along with Trent and Peak Archaeology, the partnership is excavating parts of Lenton Priory.
The £60,000 project has already unearthed what could be part of the priory's original flooring.
Laura Binns, community archaeologist at Trent and Peak Archaeology, said: "The floor wasn't really expected, so to find it intact in some places was quite nice. Hopefully we will find some more bits and bobs like coins, roof tiles and pottery."
The sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Jackie Morris, who was also at the event, said: "I think it is great that this area has gone to town and made a big effort with this and that needs to be followed through to the rest of the city because everywhere has its history and heritage."
Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership is still looking for volunteers to help take part in the archaeological dig until December 19, or to help clean and record any objects found.
To find out more or to register your interest, email manager@dunkirkandlenton.co.uk, call 0115 9588590.
Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership Forum manager Fiona Corbett is startled by the loud bell ringing and shouting of the town crier Dave Clifton at the Martinmas Fair in Lenton.
Picture: Mark Lee NOML20141115C-081
