IT’S one of the biggest medieval fairs and markets in the country, and a few years back it even made it into the Sunday Times’ top 50 things to do during the summer.

That’s the Colchester Medieval Festival and Oyster Fair.

Once again, thousands of people from all over the country, and further afield, will be converging on the town’s Lower Castle Park this weekend, recreating a bygone age when archers rubbed shoulders with pig herders.

The reputation of the town’s Oyster Fair has spread so far and wide that people from the continent attend the two-day event and look likely to do so again, with more stalls and traders than ever before.

Ted Lloyd, grand marshal of the fair, said: “It takes you back to a time when folk from the countryside and neighbouring villages would travel to the ‘Big Fair’ in the town.”

Central to such a gathering would have been the market, and at this weekend’s two-day event there will once again be avenues of stalls selling everything from a brass pin to a full suit of armour.

Ted adds: "Our market will have avenues of stalls, each trader having been carefully chosen, so that only true merchandise suitable for the traditional market is provided. Maybe a great wheel for spinning, or linen for making clothes, new bowls for cooking, or leather to repair shoes. All will be there and on sale."

Around the market there’s always plenty to see and do.

In the tourney ring, or combat arena, there will be country backswording, where fighting took place with wooden cudgels, rather than swords, as well as demonstrations of the use of various weapons.

For younger fairgoers, there will be medieval plays performed by Mummers, as well as storytellers, jugglers and musicians.

One of the major draws of the festival is the Archer of the Fair, which this year will see sharpshooters from far and wide take part.

Ted says: "Until the middle of the 16th Century archery was the main weapon of combat and also of sport. All men of fighting age were expected to practice at the butts, once a week, usually after church on Sunday. So a ‘close’ will be set up, with butts for practice and competition. Here again the public will have the opportunity to ‘have a go’ with demonstrators and instructors on hand to ensure a safe representation of this aspect of medieval life."

Colchester Medieval Festival and Oyster Fair is in Lower Castle Park, Colchester, tomorrow and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Admission costs £8 for adults and £5 for under-14s and pensioners.