Town Moor

The Town Moor is legally owned by the City Council with the Freemen of the City having grazing rights, these rights go back to before the Norman Conquest, they have defended these rights vigourously over the years and this joint control of the land has prevented it from being sold off and developed. Some parts of the land have been relinquished over the years with mutual agreement with the City Council where the Freemen were satisfied that it was for the benefit of the public and the City. This allowed The Royal Victoria Infirmary to be built, various parks, University Halls of Residence and the Fenham Barracks.

The biggest event to be held on the Town Moor is the annual hoppings fair, said to be the biggest travelling fair in Europe. It began in 1882 as a Temperance Fair and continued until 1913 when there was a dispute between the Council and the Freemen. The Freemen objected to the damage being done to the land by the fair, although the Council were in favour of it continuing partly because of the £1000 rent they received. The fair returned to the Town Moor in 1919 as a victory celebration after the First World War and continues to this day during the last week of June.