Thousands enjoy Clare’s Magna Carta Festival

Despite damp weather the crowds still turned out to see Clare mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.

Clare has a closely connected history to the famous document, with Richard de Clare, Earl of Clare, and his son Gilbert de Clare among the 25 barons who in 1215 forced King John to seal Magna Carta in Runnymede.

In Clare heavy rain on the Saturday morning threatened to put a dampener on nearly two years of preparations, but the procession started on time with 150 schoolchildren part of the grand cavalcade from the town centre to Clare Castle Country Park for the festival.

Spectators lined the streets before heading to the festival where 2,500 people enjoyed medieval reenactments and the many craft stalls and stands run by local community groups promoting their activities and raising funds.

Community groups will be in line for a share of any profits made from the different events held in the last few weeks.