The Cirencester Mop Fair maintains the historic Charter held by the Nichols family, that ensures the fairs can be held in the town each year.

The Nichols family has delivered Cirencester’s Mop Fairs for over 100 years, the Charter dates back over 700 years. William Nichols was the first member of the family to present a fair, at Buckingham, and his grandson Marshall Nichols, third generation showman from the Nichols family, continues the tradition today, delivering a number of historic Charter Fairs, including Cirencester.

The Mop Fair in Cirencester takes its name from its original purpose, a hiring event where servants carried the tools of their trade to show that they were available for work.