THE days when hats and Leominster went together like peaches and cream will be revived in a series of hat events - known as Hatscape - from September 10 to 12. There will be an exhibition of hats and a straw hatting and plaiting workshop in the Lion Ballroom. On the afternoon of the 11th, you can wear a hat to a Mad Hatter's Tea Party in the ballroom.

From 10am to 2pm the same day, the Corn Square will turn into a Hat Pool Tax Zone and Farmers' Market. Proceeds will go to WWOP, the "We Want Our Pool" campaign. The following day, up the A49 at Berrington Hall, Sharon Morgan and Marietta Alker will run workshops for children and adults on millinery and felt making.

"It's all about rural ingenuity and creativity and rediscovering history," explained co-ordinator Angela Martin. "Many people have a few hats - caps, berets and hats for work - and women wear them for weddings."

As a wool town, Leominster played an important role in the Tudor hat industry. In 1512 Henry VIII banned imports and set prices for home produced caps. Those made of the finest Leominster wool were 3s4d each (17p nowadays) and were marked with an "L." Second class caps were half a crown (13p) and marked "Lr." There was a £2 fine for overcharging.

Three centuries later, according to the 1851 census, Leominster had five male hatters and 24 straw hatters and milliners, most of whom were women.

Leominster Museum will have a display of hats from the Herefordshire Museum Service and there is also the Wade Hat and Costume Collection at Berrington Hall.

There are a number of trailers before the weekend. On September 3, Jenni Stuart Anderson will give a workshop on recycled hats in Leominster Museum. The following day, Marietta Alker will hold a felt making workshop in Leintwardine on September 4.

More information is available either on www.woolgatherers.net or from Angela Martin on 01568 640017.