Tuesday market

In Madrid each year someone walks a flock of sheep through one of the main streets to maintain the ancient right of way. In England the local priests and churchwardens walk the boundaries of the Parish each year. The ceremony once had an important practical purpose. Checking the boundaries was a way stopping neighbouring parishes pinching bits of territory.

In Ciudad Rodrigo local people have the right to sell their produce in the Plaza del Buen Alcalde at Tuesday market. It was a filthy cold, wet, miserable day today but there were still maybe 15 stalls there.

Obviously people do it because they want to make a bit of cash from the apples, olives, chestnuts, peppers or whatever else they've grown in their allotments or kitchen gardens. But I understand that, as much as anything, people are there to maintain the right to sell produce without any need to get special permission from anyone.

Wat Tyler, Jack Straw and the Levellers would all applaud the sentiment.