THE Duke of Gloucester has unveiled a stone plaque in Melksham to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the town’s Royal Charter awarded by King Henry 111 in 1219.

The Royal Charter allows the town to hold a Tuesday market - which exists to this day - and a Michaelmas Fayre at the end of September.

The weekend celebrations mark the first Fayre following the award of a Royal Market Charter to Melksham by the then nine-year-old King Henry 111 who was hastily crowned in Gloucester Cathedral during the First Barons War only nine days after his father King John had died.

The Duke said: “Thank you very much for inviting me to this special occasion to celebrate 800 years of holding a Royal Charter for your markets. I am delighted to unveil this plaque.”

During his visit, the Duke went inside the Town Hall to meet pupils from Aloeric, Manor and Rivermead primary schools, who had produced work for the anniversary.

He spoke with a group of local volunteers who had created handmade historical banners and flags for the special occasion.

The Duke also shook hands with Jonny Stoker, from local stonemasons Sandridge Stone, who made the plaque on the Town Hall wall for the anniversary event.

He was shown a display of Melksham’s history by Peter Maslen, secretary of Melksham & District Historical Association, including photographs of his grandparents visiting the town.

Reverend Barry Blackford, the retiring Team Rector of Melksham, gave a blessing before the Duke unveiled the plaque, to cheers from onlookers in the Market Place.

After the unveiling, Aeryn Giles, a Year 6 pupil at Aloeric Primary School, presented the Duke with a mug containing a replica of the Royal Charter and a replica King Henry 3 groat, and a Plantagenet pie made by local butchers I D Newman & Son.

VIPs at this morning’s event included the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Mrs Sarah Rose Troughton; the County’s High Sheriff David Scott; local MP Michelle Donelan; Wiltshire Council chairman, Cllr James Sheppard; Cllr Jon Hubbard, the mayor of Melksham, and Wiltshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Mark Cooper.

Host for the visit, Nick Westbrook said: “We have tried to celebrate the anniversary with a range of activities for all ages – most of them free to attend.

"We have received many compliments about the flags and banners that are decorating the town and for the quality of the floral displays in the town this year.

"The visit of a Royal Duke, the Queen’s cousin, adds something extra special to the celebrations.”

The celebrations include a medieval banquet on Saturday evening, the Sunday Fayre and jousting tournament. They have been planned to bridge the historical gap over the centuries.

Other events feature 20 town criers from all over the country, including three from Marlborough, Royal Wootton Bassett and Trowbridge, taking part in a Town Criers competition in the Market Square from 10am to 4.30pm on Saturday.

On Saturday evening, there will be a 23-course medieval banquet produced by volunteers in Melksham Assembly Hall from 7pm. Tickets at £35 a head are still available.

On Sunday, there will be a Sunday Fayre and Plantagenet Medieval Re-enactment Society tournament on the King George V playing field from 12 noon.