Backswording at Purton Fair

Purton held two fairs a year, on 1 May and 3 September, on a green called the close that belonged to the unmarried men of the village. The September fair was given over to pleasure, with gipsies, a Punch show and an old showman called Corey Dyne. On the second day four backsword players from Purton fought four from neighbouring Stretton for a new smock and hats, and the winners were chaired round the village in chairs made of boughs. By 1826 the farmers had put a stop to the backswording.