Salcombe Regis Country Fair is a traditional East Devon event - opening the archive from 1979.

The setting is unbeatable, the occasion unique.

The ancient parish church, lych gate framing the great oak door, stands sentinel over one of the loveliest of green valleys reaching down to the sea.

It is the very quintessence of an English village caught still in a timewarp of ages past.

That is how one promotional piece about the Salcombe Regis Country Fair was presented in the Sidmouth Herald.

The event traditionally takes place at the end of May and attracts hundreds of people each year.

The event features a range of stalls, with a whole host of items for sale - bric-a-brac, old tools, cakes and all manner of gadgets that have been donated for sale from residents.

The fair has, down the years, raised thousands of pounds for local charities including the likes of Devon Freewheelers, Sid Vale Scouts, Sid Valley Memory Café, Sidmouth Lifeboat, Sidmouth in Bloom and Sidmouth Arboretum.

Entertainment is also provided for visitors to enjoy as they take part in the traditional event.

Each year, the hope is for good weather so the delightful community occasion, held in one of the loveliest of village settings, can bring benefits to the stallholders and visitors alike.

In this month's archive we go back 40 years to see what was on offer at that year's Salcombe Regis Country Fair.

This year's event takes place on Thursday, May 30.

If the pictures bring back memories, feel free to share them with us by emailing andrew.coley@archant.co.uk

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