Meet Doc Eddie Pluribus (above). He's got a cart full of cure-alls. Dare you try one? He's just one of 28 striking-looking circus and sideshow characters shot by photographer Matt Hoyle for his Barnumville portrait series...

"The project is about a fictitious town in 1940's Florida inhabited by sideshow performers of all shapes and sizes," explains Hoyle. "It's inspired by the real life town of Gibsonton Florida which used to be an active vacation town for wintering circus folk. I was lucky enough to shoot many known sideshow performers who are in the last remaining sideshows in America, Coney Island Sideshow and 999 Eyes Freakshow from Austin Texas."

Among the frankly odd-looking folk photographed are a self proclaimed Circus Fat Lady, a Claw Handed Man, a Giant, a Little Person, a Human Serpent, a Tattooed Lady, a Sword Swallower, and more besides. Welcome to Barnumville...

Ivory The Albino Queen

Vince Strongman Larchetti

Vipress The Serpent Lady

Lila the Ghost Girl

To see all 28 portraits that make up the Barnumville project, and to view more of Hoyle's photography, click through to see Hoyle's website