Oyster Feast
oyster feast centrepiece annual civic calendar ancient borough colchester located essex east england colne oyster fishery date roman era mentioned domesday book borough colchester obtained right fishery provision royal charter granted richard oyster obtained fishery known colchester native native oyster ostrea edulis oyster fishery officially opened first friday september year mayor colchester town clerk town sergeant take passage oyster dredger pyefleet channel colne estuary mersea island full civic regalia flotilla small boat carrying invited guest follows mayor channel oath sworn pledging devotion monarch mayor dredge consumes first oyster season mayor guest proceed oyster lunch celebrates opening fishery last friday october year mayor colchester host grand civic oyster feast moot hall feast attended civic dignitary around nation worthy world art entertainment mayor also invite colchester citizen active local charity civic body good cause public lottery ensure every citizen borough chance attend prestigious event feast origin st denis fair dating th century modern feast date brought onto civic calendar mayor colchester thomas wolton david cannadine transformation civic ritual modern britain colchester oyster feast past present feb pp list dining event colchester oyster fayre old oyster feast andrew phillips essex county standard october oystermen wait european help bbc online august colchester native oyster richard haward commercial supplier