THE Princess Royal will unveil a commemorative plaque to mark the 800th anniversary of the granting of Great Yarmouth's charter.Princess Anne will attend a civic service and unveil the plaque, created by local stonemason Colin Smith, at St Nicholas' Church on Monday, June 9.

THE Princess Royal will unveil a commemorative plaque to mark the 800th anniversary of the granting of Great Yarmouth's charter.

Princess Anne will attend a civic service and unveil the plaque, created by local stonemason Colin Smith, at St Nicholas' Church on Monday, June 9.

The Royal visit will be preceded by three days of celebrations in the Market Place with street entertainment including jugglers, minstrels, apple dunking and pelting troublemakers in the stocks.

Mayoral civic events officer Laura Goodman said: “We hope many of the market traders will be dressing in medieval costume, and we are asking shopkeepers around the town centre to decorate their premises to celebrate the royal visit.”

The granting of the charter, for an annual fee to King John of £55, gave Yarmouth the status of a free borough forever. This included the right to appoint bailiffs to govern the town, the administration of justice in certain matters of common law and exemption from paying tolls on goods sold in other towns.

And there will be carousing a-plenty at a medieval-style banquet celebrating the eight centuries of civic freedom.

Guests are being encouraged to don medieval costumes for the banquet at St Nicholas Church on Saturday, May 17.

The menu has a 13th century theme, featuring a broth of vegetables, fresh salmon and selection of roast meats.

Merriment will be provided with music from a minstrels' gallery, together with jesters and fire eaters.

Tickets, £40, include a commemorative charter goblet and bottle of orange and coriander-flavoured Charter Ale produced by the town's Blackfriars Brewery.

The limited edition earthenware green/brown glazed goblets made by Ernie Childs of Great Yarmouth Potteries have been decorated with a charter seal.

It is a busy year for Ernie, who is also working on a painting of people featuring a modern day citizens in a medieval scene with King John at the signing ceremony. The 10ft canvas is expected to be on show at the Maritime Festival in September and will hang in the St Nicholas Church once it is completed.

Tickets for the feast are available from mayor's secretary Laura Goodman on 01493 846125.

Anyone interested in appearing in the painting of the people should call Ernie Childs on 850585.