The view from my alley out to Market -- trucks block pedestrian traffic from travelling that way:
The view to the Right, upon leaving my alley, down Market Street:
The view directly to the Left, down Market Street:
Church Street, normally a one-way street lining the historic Holy Trinity Church:
The ride that may well drive me insane by the end of my shift at work tomorrow. This is literally right outside our shop door, and all the cars of that little train have bells in them for the kids to sit and ring their whole ride round and around and aroudn and... We'll see if 8 hours of that do me in - 4 hours almost did me in yesterday!
Ooh, the newly arrived rides on South Street... Classy.
A view to the Left, down South Street... My intended direction of travel to reach my office.
Oh, but just have to see what I might be missing to the Right... Anything special?
Somehow, I don't expect my supervisor to be in his office much today or tomorrow... This grey building is my school -- oh the sacrilidge to historic St Mary's College! -- and his window is blocked in this photo by part of that ride, but it looks over this noise...
Moving right along, I wasn't even sure for a moment whether one could access my school, but sure enough, they did kindly leave a path for us...
Looking back as I near the end of South Street...
And yes, I've always thought of hot dogs as "posh nosh"...
If a picture is worth 1000 words, there's 12,000 words worth of noise for you. At least it ends on Tuesday -- which leads to an interesting story of my only other experience with the Lammas fair. Last year I was travelling in Germany in this time (oh, the blessed timing of it all!), and arrived back in town on a Tuesday evening. Now, where I was living at that point in time was still removed from this chaos, and as I blearily dragged my bag to my flat, I noticed all sorts of lights and noise and kids walking by with balloons and faces painted and cotton candy... I could see that there were rides and all going on, but being tired, I decided I'd just wait and check it out the next morning. Next morning came, I emerged from my flat, and St Andrews was exactly as it always was. I didn't know if I'd been hallucinating or what until I heard from others what they'd been experiencing.
I cannot wait for Tuesday at midnight.
10 comments:
My goodness you are a sad, sad little hermit of a person. :-) Jeff and I love the Lammas Fair... I'm really sad we're missing it! That being said, we did live a 10 minute walk outside of town and could, just barely, escape the late-night noise. But we loved going for a walk late at night into town and getting some of those awesome donuts from the little donut stand... have you tried one yet? It might just change your whole opinion of the Lammas Fair. :-) Love ya, babe.
Mmmm, donuts...
Wild Bill really wants to know if there are fireworks!
Oh, the horror... lemme out of here! Last year, as nauseating as it was to sit at my desk overlooking the town and watch the whirly contraption whizz over the tops of the buildings, at least I couldn't hear it at midnight with my windows closed...
This sounds miserable- I now know what you mean by the little train with bells. ICK! Best of luck getting through it all!!!
to answer in order:
-yes, I am a sad, quiet little creature who really, really likes it quiet when I sleep! =]
-nope, no fireworks. Just loud rides. I think I would have preferred fireworks, though - at least those end after 10-20 minutes!
-it was delightful to walk home from your house last night and have it be quiet -- even better, to watch them tearing the rides back down! =]
-thanks for the empathy! just be glad you missed it in your time here (even though conversely that means you're not here, which is bad...)
Here we go again, you people that came into St Andrews and think you know it all.
Having been born and brought up in St Andrews with the Lammas Market.I see you really have not looked into the history of the Lammas, I have been making a video about the Lammas for years now and in 2005 i made a documentary a about the Lammas.
St Andrews held 5 YES 5 markets in the middleages and today ONE remains YES YOU HAVE GUESSED IT The LAMMAS MARKET.
The Lammas Market is the oldest surviving medieaval street market in Scotland.
All 5 markets was given ROYAL PERMISSION from KING MALCOLM in 1153 to be held on holydays for the churchs calender of Saints day.
KING JAMES 1 AND V1 GRANTED A CHARTER IN 1620 and was confirmed by a act of the Scottish Parliament of CHARLES 1.
The markets would sell Silk Carpets, Food and Farmers would bargin for local workers.
The 1st of August was the Lammas Market the feast of St Peter.
The market is now held on the 2nd Monday of August after losing the religious side.
By 1870 the trading side stoped and the Lammas became a FUNFAIR.
NOW MY NEXT POINT,
YOU SAID YOU ARE DOING A PHD IN DIVINITY BUT YOU HAVE NOT SAID MUCH ABOUT THE HISTORY AND DATES OF THIS GREAT MARKET.
And by the way EVERY DAY YOU WALKE DOWN MARKET ST AND SOUTH ST DO YOU NOT SEE THE LORRYS BUS CARS ECT SITTING GIVING OUT EXHAUST FUMES WHICH ARE A LOT MORE AND WHAT THE SHOWMENS RIDES ARE.
A.J.S. FUNFAIR VIDEO PRODUCTIONS
ST ANDREWS
Oh dear oh dear where do i start.
Firstly, what gives you the right to criticise something that has existed for centuries ? How would you feel if all the visitors to your homeland criticised all the Ancient Greek history for spoiling there time on a beach or drinking lets face it providing Greece with much of its economy.
But i will tackle your points in turn.
1) You say that the Market is the bane of ALL residents, incorrect, where were the letters of complaint in the local press ? demonstrations ? as i say your statement is incorrect.
2) You say that the lorries and rides fill the streets with excess pollution. It is a proven FACT that air pollution during the market is less tha that experienced on a normal day of congestion around the ancient streets, so again your statement is wrong.
3) You say that the rides are rickety contraptions, one person has been injured at a fair of theme park in Scotland in the last twelve months and that was a member of staff, the rides are tested on a regular basis by certified examiners and these documents are required by the local councils BEFORE a ride can open. Your statement implies in the use of the word ricketty that the rides are unsafe, again this is wrong.
4) You state that the rides are adorned with bikini clad models, and the shops of Market St and South St arent ???? We are subjected to far more sexist advertising on a daily basis via the media than one or two machines for three or four days during the Lammas, so again your point is shown as weak if not totally incorrect.
5) You then go on to state that OUR picturesque streets, you are of Greek origin i suspect and therefore proud of your heritage however that heritage is in your homeland. This is our homeland and we too are very proud however we wouldnt claim to own the streets of Athens.
6) Finally you state that the rides block pedestrian access, this is totally and utterly incorrect, pedestrian access is maintained at all times along with emergency access for vehicles, this is ensured by the very hard work of the council and showmen before hand in marking out areas, maybe you should spend time watching what happens before the show hits town.
In summary, you statements are so very wrong and unfortunately similar to oh so many of those people who dont really now but suppose. I see your are a divinity student, an area that is shrouded in myth and grey areas, however, the Lammas Fair in St Andrews is surrounded in FACTS and I am affraid to say it but you need to face them and realise that the Lammas has been here for hundreds of years before you and in some form will exist after you.
Mark Johnson
St Andrews Transport Photography
HI,
I have notice that you have not bothered to reply to mysef or Mark Johnson comments,(i wonder why????).
In future when you mouth of about something in our home town stop and think about the people who are brought up in this wonderful town/city.and before i go,what was the name of the town before it was named St Andrews??? come on Greekgeek give us an answer.
A.J.S FUNFAIR VIDEO PRODUCTIONS
ST ANDREWS
Its Saturday 2nd August 2008, not long now to Thursday 7th for the Pull On for the start of the Lammas Market, It wiil be around 2pm, Now Greekgeek HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.
Well thats Thursdays pull on done & dusted but where you there Greekgeek if you where didn't see you. Have you seen the Letters in the CITIZEN ????????
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