The days when elephants trumpeted their way across Bridgnorth bridge and through the town
A local historian has unearthed fascinating pictures from when circuses were a regular fixture at a particular Shropshire market town.
Bridgnorth historian Clive Gwilt said the relationship between the town and circuses owes itself to a 12th century royal charter that granted the right to hold annual fairs in the town.
"This is the oldest statute cattle fair in England," said Clive, adding that circuses would then use this royal assent to bring their big tops to the town.
"Travelling circuses and their menageries regularly occupied the same part of High Street as the roundabouts of the fair when they visited the town. The big top tent housed their performance and adjacent to this was the menagerie."
He said many of the animals from the circuses were wintered on farmland in the area and when the warmer weather appeared, the circus took to the road.
"Caravans, wagons laden with tentpoles and canvas for the big top, the menagerie and the big animals on foot. The entourage made its way slowly from town to town," said Clive. "No circus was considered worth its salt unless it produced a carnival-like procession which paraded the main streets before opening the show.
"The procession was headed by a band in an open carriage or wagon playing popular tunes. Then in similar style, clowns and other circus performers in costume waved and bowed to the onlookers."
He said the regular visits and tours by circuses were not without incident.
In 1878, a gorilla escaped near Madeley Wood, from a travelling circus on its way to Bridgnorth Recreation Ground.
Then in 1890, a Bridgnorth resident called Mr Tudor was attacked and hospitalised by a leopard from Fossetts’ Travelling Circus on the Recreation Ground at Bridgnorth. He thankfully survived.
After the war, circuses and amusement fairs dwindled in Bridgnorth, but some people in the town may have memories of elephants standing in the shallows of the River Severn.
"In June 1963, Fossetts Circus and Zoo were on Recreation Ground and the elephants were walked down the river through the High Street to bathe and drink," said Clive. "The elephants would march down from High Town crossing the bridge, and reached the river by way of Doctor’s Lane."
