Custom
The Bun Throwers
Catch a falling bun.
See it clearly
- What's there
- Tall 17th-century market hall with a roof balustrade
- Legend from
- Civic custom from 1761
- Best time
- Royal occasions only
- Tone
- Light-hearted
When a king is crowned, Abingdon goes up on the roof and the buns come raining down.
On great royal occasions the councillors of Abingdon climb onto the roof of County Hall, the tall 17th-century building in the Market Place, and throw thousands of buns down to the crowd below. The council dates the first bun throwing to George III's coronation in 1761. In 1821 the town ordered 1,000 penny cakes, and in 1838 newspapers said they were thrown 'according to custom'. The museum keeps a few dried-out old buns. The custom probably grew from the older habit of giving out food on special days.