If you have not read George Borrow’s work, I highly recommend it.

I have both the book above and the sequel The Romany Rye. In this second book, Borrow tells the story of how he found himself at the annual Horse Fair that used to be held in town, here. (From the 13th century!)

BTW – the town still looks like this today. Same buildings, bridge, canal.

George had spent many years living and travelling all over Europe with the Romany/Gypsies. He especially spent a lot of time in Ireland.

I’ve known local people who still remembered the Horse Fair – which stopped in 1948. Apparently, the house we used to live in had the town blacksmith right next door, and every year, the Irish would cross over the sea and walk their horses to Lincolnshire to be sold.

Of course, their first port of call when arriving here was to visit the blacksmith.

Why am I writing about this?

Well – there seems to quite a big link between all the above and the “history” of Scota/Meritaten, the Pharaoh’s daughter (?)

Egyptian? Gypsy? Ireland? Shrug!