THEY flocked to the fair in their thousands, some to remember, others to sample the magic of country life for the first time.

It was 1979 and young and old were drawn by the opportunity to wander back into bygone days when the Hampshire countryside cast a peaceful spell over the county.

Those times when the ploughman, exhausted after a day in the fields, really did homeward plod his weary way and when men like farriers, wheelwrights, thatchers and hurdlemakers were vital links in the chain of rural life.

Huge crowds visited various rural events that year including the Hampshire Country Fair, a demonstration staged by Hampshire County Museums, the country fair in Briashfield, and Botleigh Grange Country Fair.

Daily Echo: Hampshire Country Fair in 1979. An old thrashing machine driven by a vintage steam engine on

A wide variety of skills and crafts were demonstrated at the annual events - some for business, others for leisure.

Daily Echo: Braishfield Country Fair in 1979.

They each had the atmosphere of a lavish countryside event and packed all the fun of the fair - every countryman’s dream!