Every year hundreds of gypsies and travellers descend on West Ardsley for the annual Lee Gap Fair.

The horse trading fair has taken place on Baghill Green - fields off Heybeck Lane, near Dewsbury, for almost 1,000 years.

The fair is said to have been chartered by King Stephen in 1139, which would mean it's England's oldest horse fair.

Traditionally it was said to centre on cloth and horse dealing, and during medieval times dealers in cloth arrived from western Europe.

Travellers at Lee Gap gypsy and traveller fair 2016

According to information-britain.co.uk, the fair's name comes from the changes after the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1500s. The local vicar, Dr Lee, made arrangements for the fair to continue, and it was named after him.

At this time travellers started coming to the fair and have continued to do so ever since.

Lee Gap Fair takes place around the end of August every year, and is followed by Latter Lee in the same location towards the middle of September.

In 2018, Lee Gap Fair is on August 24 and Latter Lee is on September 17.

  • Video courtesy of Leeds Gate