Newent Onion Festival

Newent Onion Fayre
Dates: 13-14 September
Location: High Street, Newent GL18 1AN

From onion eating to parading pooches, the annual Newent Onion Fayre is an event like no other! The Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote is proud to be a part of this revitalised traditional festival, celebrating the humble onion!

Brining thousands to this quiet corner of Gloucestershire, the Onion Fayre began in the 13th century under the seal of King Henry III. Cancelled due to the covid pandemic, the Fayre is now back and our English Civil War soldiers will help bring a little 17th Century fun to proceedings.

A great day out for all the family, the Newent Onion Fayre is the home of the world-famous onion eating competition, which sees competitors test the strength of their stomachs as they race to consume an entire raw onion. Plus, there will be activities galore, with live music, street entertainment, fairground rides, market stalls selling local produce, and much more!

Weekend schedule
Opening times both days: 10am-4.30pm
Saturday: Onion Fayre, including cameos from the Sealed Knot
Sunday: Living History, with battle at 1.30pm

More details to come…

The history
Sat on the front lines of the English Civil War, Newent was strongly Royalist – it is said that the rector of St Mary’s, John Wilse, rode into battle alongside Royalist cavalry, armed with a pistol in each hand!

It was under Sir William Vavasour that Newent had its largest role. The younger son of an important Yorkshire gentleman, Vavasour was captured at Edgehill in 1642 but escaped and arrived at the King’s capital of Oxford to a hero’s welcome. Mustering a local 2,600-strong force at Hereford and marching on Tewkesbury in 1644, Vavasour’s army was bolstered by English troops brought over from suppressing the Irish Rebellion. He marched to Newent, garrisoning the town with Colonel Mynne’s infantry, while he established more garrisons at nearby Highnam and Taynton.

Vavasour was given the task of blockading the Parliamentarian stronghold of Gloucester and securing the county to provide troops and money for the King. This he did successfully until the Royalist defeat at Cheriton in March 1644 meant Vavasour’s force had to march away to reinforce the King’s main field army. This left the county open and in mid-April Gloucester’s governor, Colonel Edward Massey, sallied out and attacked Mynne at Newent. The attack was repulsed, but Mynne was ordered to withdraw to Ross-on-Wye to protect Herefordshire while Vavasour tried to raise a new local army.