The Great Cheese Riot of 1766
Causes, Impact, and Historical Significance
On October 2, 1766, chaos erupted at Nottingham's annual Goose Fair when outrage over the steep price of cheese spilled into violence and unrest. The Great Cheese Riot of 1766 began as a protest against the high cost of cheese and quickly escalated as a large crowd seized cheese supplies and clashed with merchants and authorities. The incident exposed serious tensions around food affordability and the impacts of a poor harvest on everyday people.
This dramatic episode saw thousands of fairgoers swept up in the turmoil on Nottingham’s Old Market Square, disrupting a centuries-old trading event. The riot not only disrupted the fair but also highlighted how essential goods could become flashpoints for public anger and collective action during times of economic strain.
Historical Background
In 1766, Nottingham experienced significant unrest connected to food shortages and economic pressure. The events leading to the Great Cheese Riot were shaped by social tensions, local traditions, and a wider pattern of food riots in Europe during the 18th century.
18th Century Social and Economic Climate
The mid-18th century in Europe, including Britain, saw rising populations and changing agricultural practices. Poor harvests and inflation led to sharp increases in food prices, especially for staple goods. Economic hardship affected both urban workers and rural laborers across the country.
In 1766, bread, cheese, and other essential foods became difficult for many to afford. Merchants often bought up large stocks to resell at higher prices, causing further public anger. The government sometimes responded with price controls or military presence, but unrest persisted.
Such conditions made communities particularly sensitive to any perceived manipulation of the food market. This volatile atmosphere contributed directly to outbreaks of food riots.
Nottingham and the Goose Fair
Nottingham's annual Goose Fair was a major commercial event that attracted thousands of people, including traders from across the region. Held in early October, the fair provided a marketplace for livestock, produce, and especially cheese, which was in high demand.
Old Market Square, the fair’s traditional location, became crowded with buyers and sellers. In 1766, tensions escalated when Lincolnshire merchants bought large amounts of cheese for resale elsewhere. Locals, already struggling with high prices, saw this as a threat to their food supply.
The bustling setting and regional importance of the Goose Fair made it a flashpoint for collective action. The combination of commerce and community needs played a central role in the disturbances.
Food Riots in Britain and Europe
Food riots had become a recurring feature of European society by the 18th century. In Britain, popular protests often followed rapid rises in the cost of bread, cheese, and other basics. Crowds, mainly driven by necessity, seized or redistributed goods and challenged authorities seen as unsympathetic.
The events in Nottingham were part of a wider pattern. Throughout 1766, similar disturbances erupted across Britain and continental Europe. These riots reflected broader anxieties about subsistence and fairness in food distribution during periods of scarcity.
Authorities attempted to maintain order, but public frustration could erupt quickly. In Nottingham, these pressures converged at the Goose Fair, resulting in one of the era's most memorable food riots.
Causes of the Great Cheese Riot
In 1766, a series of interconnected economic and agricultural pressures led to public unrest in Nottingham. Failed harvests, increased food prices, and the behavior of merchants all contributed to the conditions that sparked the Great Cheese Riot.
Failed Crops and Rising Food Prices
The year 1766 was marked by poor harvests across England and Ireland. Heavy rains and adverse weather led to failed crops, particularly affecting wheat and other essential cereals.
With lower yields, the available food supply was drastically reduced. Prices for staples like wheat, flour, and corn began to climb, stretching the budgets of working families.
These price increases impacted daily life, making basic foods unaffordable for many households. The frustration over rising food costs created deep resentment among the general population.
Shortages of Wheat, Flour, and Corn
Food supplies became stretched as the failed crops led to actual shortages in local markets. Wheat, flour, and corn were particularly scarce, which made their absence all the more noticeable in markets and households.
Bakers and millers had difficulty sourcing enough grain to meet demand. This further drove up prices and worsened the sense of scarcity.
The lack of essential food items meant that people relied more on other sources, such as cheese, which was still available but also becoming more expensive. Anxiety about further shortages fueled unrest among city residents.
Role of Merchants and Traders
Merchants and traders played a major role during this period of scarcity and inflation. Some merchants, particularly from nearby regions like Lincolnshire, purchased large quantities of cheese at Nottingham markets.
By buying up cheese in bulk, merchants aimed to resell it elsewhere at higher prices, removing affordable stock from local shelves. This angered local buyers, who saw their options dwindle while prices climbed.
Perceptions of profiteering deepened distrust between townspeople and merchants. Many believed that traders were exploiting the food crisis for personal gain, which contributed to rising tensions and ultimately to the outbreak of the riot.
Chronology of the Great Cheese Riot of 1766
The Cheese Riot in Nottingham began at the annual Goose Fair, fueled by anger over inflated cheese prices. Events escalated from local frustration to open unrest and led to widespread repercussions in Nottingham.
Build-Up to the Riot
In the autumn of 1766, Nottingham faced a challenging food situation. A poor harvest led to increased prices for staples such as grain and cheese. The annual Goose Fair, held on October 2 in Old Market Square, drew traders and citizens from across the region.
Cheese, a popular and important commodity, quickly became a focal point of public anger when traders dramatically raised prices. Many in the crowd saw these price hikes as unfair, blaming merchants for taking advantage of food shortages.
Rising tensions were evident. Rumors of profiteering and hoarding circulated among the fairgoers, sparking outrage. Economic hardship, combined with perceived greed, set the stage for the conflict that followed.
Key Events During the Riot
Angry crowds started by confronting cheese sellers. When direct negotiations with traders failed, some began forcibly taking cheese. Several stalls were looted and fights quickly broke out between rioters, traders, and law enforcement.
Notable incidents included:
Destruction of market stalls
Cheese wheels being rolled through the streets
Physical altercations involving dozens of people
Authorities struggled to contain the unrest. Some rioters broke shop windows and attempted to seize cheese stored in nearby warehouses. The situation worsened as efforts to restore order led to more violent clashes.
By the end of the day, police and local officials regained control, but not before considerable damage had been done. Several people were arrested, and large quantities of cheese had been taken or destroyed.
Aftermath and Immediate Impact
Following the riot, Nottingham authorities faced pressure to address both security and food supply concerns. The incident exposed the vulnerability of food distribution systems during shortages and highlighted simmering resentment among lower-income citizens.
Merchants reacted by increasing security at future markets and hesitated to raise prices suddenly. The Goose Fair itself saw heightened police presence in subsequent years to discourage further disorder.
Locally, the riot left a lasting impact on Nottingham’s community relations. The event became a cautionary tale about the dangers of economic unrest and the consequences of perceived exploitation when basic needs like cheese became unaffordable.
Locations and Local Impact
The Great Cheese Riot of 1766 saw key locations in Nottingham become flashpoints for unrest, as cheese merchants and townspeople collided over commodity prices. These sites played specific roles in shaping the scale, spread, and aftermath of the riot.
Wheeler-Gate, Peck-Lane, and Other Notable Sites
Wheeler-Gate and Peck-Lane were central arteries in Nottingham’s commercial activity and operated as main thoroughfares during the Goose Fair. During the riot, both streets became crowded as merchants, buyers, and onlookers gathered. Tensions over cheese prices escalated rapidly in these areas, which allowed the unrest to spread quickly from stall to stall.
Crowds reportedly seized wheels of cheese directly from traders in both Wheeler-Gate and Peck-Lane. The narrow passageways and packed market stalls contributed to the chaos, making it difficult for local authorities to intervene or restore order. Other nearby lanes and marketplaces were soon affected as the crowd, motivated by frustration over high costs, attempted to disrupt cheese shipments and merchant sales.
In addition to cheese sellers, bakers and other food traders were affected as general disorder drew large numbers of people into these streets. This led to traffic blockages and local trade grinding to a halt that afternoon. The scenes in Wheeler-Gate and Peck-Lane became iconic representations of the riot’s intensity.
Nottingham Castle and its Role
Nottingham Castle, though not at the center of the cheese trade, played an indirect but significant role during the riot. As the violence and looting escalated in the town, local officials relied on the Castle both as a symbol of authority and as a place to organize responses.
The Castle’s proximity to market activity meant that soldiers and law enforcement could be dispatched quickly to hotspots like Wheeler-Gate. During the worst of the unrest, several merchants sought refuge near the Castle, hoping its presence would deter further intrusion by the rioters. However, the sheer scale of the crowd sometimes overwhelmed such measures.
Authorities used the Castle grounds for temporary holding and assessment of those detained during the riots. Its reputation as a secure stronghold ended up being crucial for the initial attempts to reestablish order, even if it could not fully contain the disorder happening throughout Nottingham’s marketplace that day.
Warehouses and their Significance
Warehouses in Nottingham held large stocks of cheese brought in for the Goose Fair and became critical targets for the crowd. Merchants had stored quantities of cheese in these buildings to be sold over the duration of the event, and as prices surged, rumours circulated that warehoused cheese was being withheld to inflate values for out-of-town buyers.
Anxious crowds gathered near the warehouses, demanding fair prices and access to what they believed was community food stockpiled at their expense. As tensions rose, some warehouses were broken into, and wheels of cheese were rolled into the streets. This created further disorder and made it nearly impossible for traders to recover their goods.
Impact of Warehouse Violations:
Merchants’ losses due to looting were substantial.
The breaking of warehouses intensified the backlash against traders seen as profiteering.
It caused widespread fear among business owners for future fairs and their own livelihoods.
These storage sites represent how control over resources was a central issue during the riot and why the conflict quickly moved from negotiation to direct confrontation.
Key Figures and Community Response
The unfolding of the Nottingham Cheese Riot saw the direct involvement of civic leaders, merchants, and ordinary townspeople. Each group took actions that shaped the escalation and eventual resolution of the disturbance.
The Mayor and Local Magistrate
During the riot, the mayor and local magistrate were responsible for maintaining order at the Nottingham Goose Fair. They were faced with an unprecedented outbreak of unrest as conflict broke out over cheese prices and availability.
As cheese was seized and rolled through the streets, the authorities attempted to intervene. They called for calm and ordered the crowd to disperse, using their official capacity to try and restore peace. The local magistrate reportedly read the Riot Act, a formal step signalling that the crowd must disband or face legal repercussions.
Despite these efforts, the crowd’s mood became increasingly tense. The difficult balance between enforcing the law and preventing further violence defined their role during the crisis. Their decisions throughout the riot would later shape public opinion on how effectively law and order was exercised.
Local Traders and Merchants
Local traders and market merchants played a central role in the origins of the riot. On the fair’s opening day, traders saw prices for cheese driven up by buyers from outside Nottingham, notably merchants from Lincolnshire. Locals felt excluded as large quantities of cheese were purchased to be resold elsewhere at a profit.
The merchants’ actions led to anger and suspicion among Nottingham residents. Scenes of merchants attempting to cart away cheeses under police protection only intensified tensions. Some traders appealed to the authorities for support, while others tried to negotiate directly with the mob.
Demand and scarcity placed merchants in direct conflict with the townspeople. Their dual role as both commercial actors and, at times, victims of violence provides insight into the pressures on local markets and the volatility of food prices in 18th-century England.
Mob Involvement and Community Action
The crowd, often described as a mob in contemporary accounts, consisted of local townspeople and market-goers angered by the sharp price increases and perceived unfair trading. Many of them took direct action by seizing cheese and disrupting the merchants’ sales.
Cheese wheels were rolled down the streets, and market stalls were overtaken in the surge of unrest. Participation in the riot reflected not only frustration with economic hardship but a sense of collective grievance. Some residents joined the unrest out of protest, while others saw an opportunity in the chaos.
Community response ranged from spontaneous support to active resistance against law enforcement. The riot’s intensity highlighted the powerful role of collective action when food security and economic pressures merged, briefly overwhelming both trade routines and local authority.
Violence, Looting, and Law Enforcement
During the Great Cheese Riot of 1766, public disorder escalated rapidly as tensions over rising cheese prices led to direct clashes between townspeople, traders, and authorities. The unrest was not just limited to market squares but spread through warehouses, streets, and even transport routes.
Instances of Looting and Roadblocks
Looting became a defining feature of the riot. According to records, a warehouse and several shops were stormed by large crowds. Rioters seized hundreds of cheese wheels, rolling them down major thoroughfares like Wheeler-gate and Peck-lane.
There were also reports of a cargo boat being targeted, with cheese forcibly removed and distributed among the crowd. Makeshift roadblocks appeared throughout Nottingham, often set up using carts and furniture. These obstructions slowed down any attempt by authorities to regain control and allowed rioters to continue their actions with fewer interruptions.
The following table highlights major locations affected:
Location Notable Incident Warehouse Large-scale looting Shops Cheeses seized and removed Streets (Wheeler-gate, Peck-lane) Cheeses rolled in the streets Riverside (Cargo Boat) Looting of transported cheese
Outbreaks of Violence
The escalation from protest to violence was swift. Confrontations turned physical as market traders attempted to defend their goods and rioters pushed back against any form of restraint.
Several accounts mention cheeses used as projectiles or barricade materials, and shoving matches often erupted between local constables and rioters. The authorities, lacking sufficient numbers of constables, were overwhelmed and called in government troops to restore order.
In some cases, heated disputes gave way to outright destruction of property. Shops had windows smashed and goods destroyed if they could not be seized. Residents and bystanders were often caught in the turmoil, revealing how rapidly civic order broke down once violence began.
Wider Influence and Legacy
The Great Cheese Riot of 1766 in Nottingham did not occur in isolation. Its impact can be traced through later movements for reform, the trajectory of radical politics in Britain, and changing understandings of popular protest, especially regarding food security.
Connections to Reform Riots
The events at the Nottingham Goose Fair in 1766 shared characteristics with later reform riots seen across Britain. Both involved collective protest against high prices and the perceived unfair practices by merchants and authorities.
The Cheese Riot highlighted tensions over access to basic necessities. As in subsequent bread and flour riots, crowds directly intervened to address what they believed were injustices, seizing goods or forcing price reductions.
Local authorities’ responses to the Cheese Riot, such as attempting to restore order by force, mirrored tactics seen during larger-scale unrest in the 19th century. This episode demonstrated how economic grievances could spill into street violence, setting patterns for protest that would reappear throughout the Industrial Revolution.
Role in Radical History
The Cheese Riot is an early example of direct action taken by ordinary people. While not explicitly political in the way that later radical movements were, it reflected the ability and willingness of working people to organize around shared grievances.
Historians view the riot as significant in the evolution of popular radicalism. Actions taken in Nottingham in 1766 showed that collective resistance could disrupt trade fairs and commerce, challenging both economic elites and the authority of the local government.
Though the riot was mainly about food, its memory contributed to a growing tradition of protest from below. These episodes influenced the attitudes of later radical activists who saw the power of mass mobilization in confronting economic hardship.
Impact on Food Riot Narratives
The Cheese Riot has become a reference point in discussions of food riots in Britain. It demonstrated that protests over food could be large, organized, and highly disruptive.
By targeting cheese traders and market practices, the participants shifted the narrative around food riots from spontaneous, chaotic events to coordinated expressions of collective discontent. Their actions showed that such riots often involved careful planning by local communities, not just uncontrollable mob action.
Analysis of the riot’s aftermath reveals that elite and popular interpretations differed sharply. What authorities saw as lawlessness, many people viewed as justified intervention in exploitative market conditions, shaping debates about the legitimacy of food riots for generations.
Regional and National Context
In 1766, sharp increases in food prices and crop failures created intense pressure on both producers and consumers. Changes in trade and movement of staple goods like cheese often led to conflict between rural communities and urban markets.
Cheese from Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Cheddar
Cheese production in the mid-1700s flourished in regions like Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and the West Country, with Cheddar being well known. Farmers and dairies in Lincolnshire and Norfolk supplied large, hard cheeses that could withstand long transport. These were traded heavily at fairs and markets across England.
Cheddar cheese, made in Somerset and surrounding areas, was already famous for its texture and flavor. Unlike softer, locally-consumed cheeses, Cheddar shipped well and fetched higher prices. Many cheeses brought to fairs in Nottingham, including those from Cambridgeshire, were sought after by both local residents and merchants from further afield.
The heavy reliance on staple dairy products meant that shortages or price spikes, such as those in 1766, quickly escalated tensions. Merchants who bought bulk consignments for resale sometimes clashed with townspeople who feared local shortages.
Cheese Trade Across the UK
Cheese was a major commodity in internal trade, moving by cart, river, and even by sea from places like Lincolnshire and Norfolk to urban centers. The trade routes connected rural producers with growing towns, especially London, which consumed vast quantities.
Key trade routes included:
Overland from Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire to Midlands markets
River transport from Norfolk via the east coast
South-west over land and sea for Cheddar distribution
Cheese fairs, such as Nottingham’s Goose Fair, acted as hubs for this trade. Large cheeses were exported from rural counties and sold to merchants, sometimes leaving local consumers unable to afford food or facing scarcity.
Tensions between local residents and cheese merchants contributed to riots when prices soared and availability dropped, demonstrating how the national cheese trade was often at odds with regional food security.
Cultural Remembrance and Modern Perspectives
Local historians and community groups ensure the story of the Great Cheese Riot remains a vivid part of Nottingham’s identity. Educational activities and organized events connect residents and visitors with the legacy of the riot in accessible ways.
People's Histreh and Local Memory
People’s Histreh, a Nottingham-based history collective, actively researches and shares stories from the city’s past, including the Cheese Riot of 1766. The group highlights how economic pressures and food scarcity drove locals to protest at the annual Goose Fair.
Through publications, talks, and events, People’s Histreh emphasizes working-class perspectives that are often left out of mainstream history. Short pamphlets and public gatherings have made details of the riot widely available within Nottingham.
The group’s research is rooted in primary sources and oral traditions. Their presentations often draw direct links between the events of 1766 and broader themes of community action in East Midlands history.
Guided Walks and Historical Education
Guided walks regularly take place in Nottingham, led by knowledgeable guides familiar with the events of the Cheese Riot. These walks typically traverse key sites, such as the old Goose Fair location and nearby streets where unrest broke out.
Participants learn about the motivations of those involved, the role of local authorities, and the impact of food shortages on daily life. Stories are presented with attention to historical accuracy, using period maps and contemporary accounts.
Educational institutions and local museums sometimes incorporate the Cheese Riot into school curriculums and temporary exhibitions. Visitors can encounter displays, artifacts, and interactive experiences that contextualize the riot within Nottingham’s broader history.
