Sedgefield Show History
As the Sedgefield area was growing in prosperity & importance, the local farmers decided to establish an annual show not only to promote their livestock & produce, but to promote the prosperity of Sedgefield.
The show amalgamated with Spennymoor Show in 1877 for one year and was held on the old Spennymoor racecourse. It was decided that the show would alternate locations but this didn’t happen, for an unknown reason.
In 1861 Sedgefield Show committee approached Durham County Agricultural Society (who moved the locations of their show every year) & persuaded them to hold their ‘exhibition’ at Sedgefield (instead of Gateshead). The committee forfeited their own show in 1862 to hold the joint event with Durham County Agricultural Show in the field behind the Hardwick Arms in July 1862.
The show appears to have mostly used the “a field behind Hardwick Inn/Arms”, originally owned by the Hardwick Inn (Hardwick Arms), & called “Ducket Close”. This field now known as Robert Brown Showfield. In 1969 however, the show was held in field to “east of Sedgefield” because “foot & mouth was in the area”.
The original show format was a show followed by a dinner or a luncheon which were held in local inns in Sedgefield followed in later years in a tent on the showfield. Lord Londonderry speaking at a Sedgefield Show luncheon said that “healthy competition & healthy rivalry was a means of improvement of breeding of stock & counteracting depression”.
The show had some difficulties in 1899 and a new society committee was formed in 1900 which we believe to be Sedgefield and District Agricultural and Horticultural Society who have gone from strength to strength holding shows each year in the Robert Brown Showfield West Park Sedgefield with the exceptions of Foot and Mouth outbreak and 2 years of Coronavirus.
Its underlying purpose is to promote, maintain, improve and advance agriculture, forestry, horticulture, allied industries, rural crafts and the breeding of livestock and to foster education of the public and its awareness and interest in the agricultural industries. The Show has grown over the years and attracts visitors from all over the country.
The exceptional thing about Sedgefield Show is the number of volunteers involved, not just on Show Day, but throughout the whole year. The show has a real sense of community with people coming together to enjoy a day out as well as celebrate Agriculture and Country life.
The show has an interesting range of competitive classes which represent the many skills and aspects of life in the local community, and in the countryside. Animals, machinery and husbandry are exhibited, as are produce, handicrafts and artistic items entered by people of all ages from the local schoolchildren onwards.
In addition to this there are many other attractions, including tradestands displaying their goods, a food hall to sample local delicacies and fun-fair rides for all.
