The Fall of Sebastopol during the Crimean War was a famous occasion in British history. This Flashback recalls the celebrations and a controversy in Herefordshire.

A CRUCIAL success in the Crimean War was greeted with unashamed delight in Hereford, but celebrations in a county market town sparked-off bitter criticism.

The occasion also highlighted the shortcomings of a group of bellringers and an over-the-top gesture of patriotic joy led to what was probably Herefordshire's first on-the-spot fine! The Fall of Sebastopol in 1855 prompted The Hereford Times to report: ''We have rarely seen more excitement pervade the city of Hereford than was witnessed on Monday last.

''At six o'clock the news of the Fall of Sebastopol was received at the telegraph office at the Barton Station and on its being announced outside was welcomed by three hearty cheers.'' The reader was told how the first copy was immediately despatched to the Mayor who ''lost no time in communicating the joyful intelligence to the citizens''.

Copies were quickly taken to be exhibited in Mr Head's High Town shop window and elsewhere. The contents were ''eagerly devoured'' by the gathering crowds. The bells of All Saints Church were set in motion and their peals and firing told the folk in the surrounding countryside that some great and joyous event had taken place.

Well, that was the theory. In practice, the good people of rural Herefordshire must have had some doubts because the sound was ''so intermittent and negligent that it is contemplated to appoint an entirely new set of ringers''.

Great moments in history warrant musical celebration and the Mayor sent a despatch to Lieut Col. Rushout who immediately ordered out the militia band who paraded the streets for hour after hour accompanied by thousands of citizens who ''ever and anon echoed the strains of the martial music''. The following morning saw Lieut Col. Rushout organise a dinner for the 100 militiamen remaining in the city and The Hereford Times recored how the fare was ''provided bountifully by mine host at the Kerry Arms, Mr Grimes, at which banquet their fellow comrades in the Crimea were toasted in right good hearty cheers''.

The capture of the famous fortress also set celebrations underway in Ross-on-Wye, but a Hereford Times correspondent was fierce in his condemnation of a dance staged at the Town Hall (known today as the Market House) where the entrance price was one shilling (5p).

''The holding of a ball when corpses gashed and cold were lying by thousands on the field of battle was not the only thing to be condemned in this affair.

''The noise of these orgies prevented the right-thinking portion of the community from sleeping and a fitter scene for these bacchanalian rites would have been near a wood or on a large common where the fury of moral and physical intoxication would have been undisturbed and not have broken the tranquility of those whose humanity revolted at the ebullition and the cause of it.

''Whatever exultation was felt in this country at the success of our arms, it ought to have been mingled with sorrow for the fallen brave and respect for the mourning homes of those whose fathers, husbands or brothers have perished in this struggle which is justifiable if ever war was a righteous one.''

The news from Sebastopol was greeted with joy by the town's young people, but some youths ''whose patriotism had run away with their honesty'' stole a barrel of tar and some fencing from Maud's Meadow in order to make a bonfire near the Market House.

The silly celebrations were spotted by a Mr Wall who remonstrated with the youngsters and adopted what was for those bygone days a novel form of punishment.

He had told them the law would not be informed and he would restore the palings at his own expense if they gave one guinea to the Ross Dispensary fund. The bonfire boys readily agreed to the instant ''fine''!