TAVISTOCK’S first ‘Go Gothic’ Market on Saturday (October 19) turned into a magical event.

The Gothic style bunting that filled Butchers Hall — including the 1,450 triangles knitted by the anonymous bunting knitter­ — set the scene for the presentation of the creative writing prizes with Adam Tarling (1st poetry prize) travelling from Bristol and the ‘flash fiction’ winner Fiona Cameron coming from Tewksbury.

Among the other winners were Pat McGuirk, from Liverpool, Chris Goddard from Bristol and closer to home Penny Wooley from Horrabridge and Elizabeth Cole from Tavistock. Victoria Dowd from Modbury had been presented her prize by Professor Nick Groom of Exeter University earlier in the week.

The appropriately dressed Edge players entered to a fanfare played by Chris Willsher on the cymbals. They read a selection of the winning entries and West Devon Borough Councillor Jeff Moody presented the creative writing prizes.

The stallholders dressed ‘up to the gothic nines’ and were adamant in their demand for a Go Gothic market next year.

The Newton Abbot Writers’ group had the largest number of suitably attired gothic characters and two of the pannier market traders were also awarded a prize for their gothic dress. Margaret Stenning’s clay gothic model making for children was a great success as was the Tavistock Scrapstore’s cork-based bat activity.

During the afternoon the market hosted the presentation of the prizes for the children and adult gnome model making competition. Winners were: Children – first prize winners — Zachary Fordham, Rosie Walker, Amelie Coatálen-Hodgson, James Coatálen-Hodgson, Ewan Osmond. Adult — both first prize winners, Sarah Scott and Keri Walker.

Sarah Scott kindly donated her entry to be raffled to raise funds for the library activities. These prizes along with the best dressed visitor prize were presented by Devon County Councillor Debo Sellis. This was followed by the Tapestry Choir under the direction of Rob Shepherd, who sang a collection of atmospheric and haunting songs that were well-suited to the Church-like acoustics of Butchers Hall.

The week of events drew visitors from as far away as Germany and America, who had come to discover more about Tavistock’s gothic literary and architectural heritage.