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The Stamford Bull Run was a bull-running festival held on St. Brice's Day (13 November) in the English town of Stamford, Lincolnshire for almost 700 years, until it was abandoned in 1837. The custom dated from the time of King John. A ceremonial revival of the event was held in 2013 as part of the town's Georgian festival.

Origins

According to local tradition, the origin of the custom dated from the time of King John (1199 - 1216) when William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey, standing on the battlements of the castle, saw two bulls fighting in the meadow beneath. Some butchers came to part the combatants and one of the bulls ran into the town, causing a great uproar. The earl, mounting his horse, rode after the animal, and enjoyed the sport so much, that he gave the meadow in which the fight began to the butchers of Stamford on condition that they should provide a bull, to be run in the town every 13 November, for ever after. The town of Stamford acquired common rights in the grassy flood plain next to the Welland, which until the last century was known as Bull-meadow, and today just as The Meadows.

The Event

The event was officially opened by the ringing of St Mary’s church bells at 10.45 am, announcing the closing and boarding of shops and the barricading of the street with carts and wagons. By 11am crowds had gathered and the bull was released, baited by the cherring of the crowd, and (amongst other things) a man who would roll towards it in a barrel. It was then chased through the main street and down into the Welland River, where it was caught, killed and butchered. Its meat was often sold to the poor and as such the custom by the 1700s was supported as a charity by donations.

Seventeenth-century historians described how the bull was chased and tormented for the day before being driven to the Bull-meadow and slaughtered. "Its flesh sold at a low rate to the people, who finished the day's amusement with a supper of bull-beef."

”During the seventeenth century, the bull was placed overnight in a stable belonging to the alderman, in readiness for the sport. On the morning of St. Brice’s Day proclamation was made by the town bellman to the following effect :

Each person was to shut up his shop door or gate, and none, under pain of imprisonment, were to do any violence to strangers, for the prevention of which the town being a great thoroughfare a guard was appointed for the passing of travellers through the streets without hurt. None were to have any iron upon their bull clubs or other staves with which they pursued the bull. After this proclamation had been made, the bull-running commenced. All the gates were shut ; the bull was turned out of the alderman’s premises, and away he ran, helter skelter, with the men, women, and children, and dogs of the town after him in hot chase, goading him on. Hotter and faster the running became, until at last the poor beast, entirely exhausted, was brought to bay, and despatched with the bull clubs.

At the tolling of the bell, the animal was let loose from the dark shed in which he had been detained for the night. If his ferocity was not equal to the expectations of the mob, he was goaded to greater madness by all the arts which brutal natures could suggest or devise. Not infrequently the poor beast’s flesh was lacerated and spirits poured in. The first object of the billiards, after causing it to tear at a furious rate through the town, was to drive it to the bridge, where it was immediately surrounded and lifted bodily over the parapet and plunged into the river. If they succeeded in accomplishing this before twelve o’clock, they were entitled to another bull. Even young children were taught to admire this riotous proceeding, and permitted to listen to the awful swearing and unclean language so loudly used during the day.” - Butcher’s "Survey of Stamford"

Abandonment

The custom was abandoned in the 19th century after a campaign by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the intervention of military and police. Stamford residents defended their ancient custom as a "traditional, manly, English sport; inspiring courage, agility and presence of mind under danger." Its defenders argued that it was less cruel and dangerous than fox hunting, and one local newspaper asked "Who or what is this London Society that, usurping the place of constituted authorities, presumes to interfere with our ancient amusement?"

The last bull run was in 1839. The last known witness of the bull running was James Fuller Scholes who spoke of it in a newspaper interview in 1928 before his 94th birthday; "I am the only Stamford man living who can remember the bull-running in the streets of the town. I can remember my mother showing me the bull and the horses and men and dogs that chased it. She kept the St Peter's Street - the building that was formerly the Chequers Inn at that time and she showed me the bull-running sport from a bedroom window. I was only four years old then, but I can clearly remember it all. The end of St Peter's Street (where it was joined by Rutland Terrace) was blocked by two farm wagons, and I saw the bull come to the end of the street and return again. My mother told me not to put my head out of the window - apparently because she was afraid I should drop into the street."

Revival

In 2013 the custom was revived as part of the town's Georgian Festival weekend, organised by South Kesteven District Council, Stamford Town Council and Burghley. Carnival specialists Shademakers supplied horse, lion and bull puppetry for the event, which began at 3.30pm with the "Bull" departing Stamford Arts Centre, with Stamford clockmaker Robert Loomes as official timekeeper, then processing through the town with local schoolchildren following in costume, "taunting" the Bull by banging, chanting and singing. As part of the procession the Bull was later chased by a re-enactment group of the Coldstream Guards performing the role of the militia who traditionally searched for the animal to destroy it. at approximately 4.45pm, school children and parents from four local Stamford schools - St Augustine, Bluecoat, Queen Eleanor and Malcolm Sargent - appeared in hats, masks and flags (created during workshops with local artist Dee Sowden) as part of a finale with the Bull, Coldstream Guards, Morris Men, students and Bull attendants in a special performance space. At approximately 5.45pm the group dispersed to a safe distance for the final element of the performance, with the Bull ceremonially set alight to denote its death at 6pm.

1. ^ Chambers Book of Days (1864),. W. & R. Chambers ltd. 1832. 13 November entry
2. November Bull-Running in Stamford, Lincolnshire; Martin W. Walsh. Journal of Popular Culture
3. Customs Demised: The Stamford Bull Run. Traditional Customs and Ceremonies. (November 30 2012)
4. "Stamford & District News (Closed 1942),". Interview, 20 August 1928.
5. Final touches being put to Saturday's Stamford Bull Run. South Kesteven District Council website. (25 September 2013)