Abingdon bun throwing

A bun throwing is held in Abingdon-on-Thames, England, to mark special and royal occasions. During the event thousands of currant buns are thrown from the roof of the County Hall by members of the Abingdon Town Council. The council states that the event has a 400-year history, though the first known throwing took place in 1760 or 1761 to mark the accession or coronation of George III and Charlotte. The buns are sometimes marked with insignia related to the event being commemorated and are often kept as mementoes.

Two boys chase down a bun at the 2006 event.

Description
Sign for the café named after the event
The County Hall from which the buns are thrown
A bun-thrower's view from the roof

The Abingdon Town Council (the local parish council), states that the event has a 400-year history, though their own list of bun throwings begins with the Coronation of George III and Charlotte in 1761.[1][2] The event is held to mark royal and special occasions and involves the town councillors donning ceremonial robes and regalia and throwing currant buns from the roof of the County Hall in the town's market place.[3] Its origins are given by the town council as being "a gesture of loyalty and goodwill to the monarch" though it is also seen as "a way to reward the public on special occasions".[4][5] The town council votes whether to hold a bun throwing for individual royal and special occasions.[6]

In early years hundreds of buns were thrown but in modern events thousands are used; 6,000 were thrown in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II (100 per year of her reign), 5,000 were thrown in 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War and 5,000 in 2022 for the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.[3][7][8][1] The buns are all edible and currently made to a hot cross bun recipe, but without the distinctive cross design.[9] Sometimes insignia are included specific to the event, for example 500 of the 5,000 buns thrown to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2022 were marked with the number "70".[9] In 2016 all 4,500 buns were marked with "90" for Elizabeth II's 90th birthday and in 2011 the buns were marked CW for the Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.[10] In recent years the buns have been baked by local company Millets Farm, with a team of bakers starting work at 2 am on the day of the event. The quantity of buns is ten times the quantity of goods normally baked by the firm in a day.[11]

The throwings are attended by thousands of residents who chant "WE WANT BUNS!" whilst waiting.[8][1] In the past a musket shot marked the start of the throwing.[12] Other items have been thrown, in 2022 six knitted buns, made by a Didcot-based yarn bomber were thrown.[13] As well as being thrown buns have been launched by catapults and propelled by tennis racquets.[13] For the 2012 event TV presenter James May developed a launching system on his series Man Lab.[2] Those who catch the buns often preserve them as mementoes of the occasion.[3] The use of umbrellas to catch large numbers of buns was banned in 2022.[6] The Abingdon County Hall Museum holds a number of buns from past throwings in its collection.[3] A local cafe is named after the tradition.[3]

A BBC report from 2010 said that it is "thought the custom is unique to Abingdon", though Harwich in Essex holds an annual kitchel (bun) throwing on the third Thursday of each May to celebrate the town's mayor.[5][14] A bun throwing on 7 May 2023, attended by a crowd in the thousands, marked the coronation of Charles III and Camilla on the previous day.[15][16]

List of bun throwings

See also

References
  1. Ffrench, Andrew (11 April 2023). "When bun throwing will return for the King's Coronation". Oxford Mail. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  2. "Diamond Jubilee: Top Gear man in Abingdon Jubilee bun throw". BBC News. 1 June 2012. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  3. "Bun throwing". Abingdon on Thames Town Council. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  4. "Bun throwing in Abingdon". Abingdon on Thames Town Council. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  5. "Royal wedding bun throw in Abingdon in doubt". BBC News. 19 November 2010. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  6. Rice, Liam (6 June 2022). "'It's been one of the best': 5,000 buns hurled during bun throwing". Herald Series. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  7. "Abingdon's royal bun-throw to celebrate Queen's 90th". BBC News. 11 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  8. Lyons, Erin (11 November 2018). "WATCH: Thousands of buns thrown at crowds for WWI centenary". Oxford Mail. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  9. Way, Fran (4 June 2022). "Everything you need to know about bun throwing in Abingdon tomorrow". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  10. "Thousands mark Queen's 90th at Abingdon bun-throw". BBC News. 12 June 2016. Archived from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  11. Whittaker, Rebecca (7 June 2022). "400 year old tradition sees three bakers make 5K buns to lob from county hall". Herald Series. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  12. Vay, Benedict Le (2011). Ben Le Vay's Eccentric Britain. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 59. ISBN 978-1-84162-375-7.
  13. "Platinum Jubilee: Abingdon celebrates with bun throwing". BBC News. 6 June 2022. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  14. Roud, Steve (31 October 2010). The Lore of the Playground: One hundred years of children's games, rhymes and traditions. Random House. p. 516. ISBN 978-1-4070-8932-4.
  15. Ffrench, Andrew (12 April 2023). "Bun throwing is back in Abingdon". Oxford Mail. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  16. Norman, Matthew (8 May 2023). "Thousands turn up for Abingdon's bun throwing celebrating King Charles". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  17. Bloxham, Christine G. (2002). May Day to Mummers: Folklore and Traditional Customs in Oxfordshire. Wychwood. p. 288. ISBN 978-1-902279-11-4.
  18. Roud, Steve (31 January 2008). The English Year. Penguin Books Limited. p. 906. ISBN 978-0-14-102106-5. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  19. "Your Council". Abingdon on Thames Town Council. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
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