HOG roasts and old English mead were among the most popular items on offer when a medieval market returned to the historic heart of a North-East city yesterday.

The four-day market got under way in Durham City’s Market Place, with stallholders dressed in period costume and traditional ciders, breads and sausages for sale, alongside clothing, jewellery and textiles.

Between now and Sunday, there will be demonstrations of traditional crafts, such as spinning and pottery, as well as wandering musicians and reenactment groups.

Paul Kennedy, of the Market Square Group, which is staging the event alongside Durham Markets, said: “The medieval market features a range of foods and drink that would have been familiar to our ancestors in medieval times, from both home and abroad.

“The crafts, clothing, jewellery, furnishings and accessories are specifically selected for their materials that would have been available to craftsmen in medieval times.

“The people of Durham can expect an international line-up of stalls, but with special focus on some of our own home-grown specialities too – and anyone found not joining in the fun may find themselves in the stocks, so be warned.”