Abingdon Bun Throwing

Today, the day after the Coronation is also the day of this year's annual Bun Throw in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

   

Thousands turned up to bask in the glorious sunshine tat Abingdon’s biggest bun throwing event yet. The enormous crowd gathered around Abingdon County Hall Museum for the town’s 37th bun throwing, to watch Morris dancing, a civic procession, and the national anthem played by a local orchestra. This before Abingdon councillors in full ceremonial robes made their way up the 92 steps of the museum building, ready to indulge in the 400-year-old tradition of throwing specially made buns down to an eager public. 

Victoria Moore, Property and events officer at Abingdon Town Council, said: “This is the biggest bun throwing we’ve had. “We had lots of fun in the park beforehand, and the crowds have really shown up to make it extra special today. This is even more special because it will likely be the last one we have for many years. We started planning the event in February, with the help of Millets Farm Centre in Frilford, who make the buns especially for us. The buns are all given to us joined up, so the team has to spend the morning separating all of them and putting them into several bags ready to be thrown later. The best part of the day is knowing that we brought the community together, which is what it’s all about really. Seeing people with a big smile on their face makes it all worthwhile and shows us we’ve done a good job.” 

The last bun throwing event in Abingdon took place in 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee. The tradition traces all the way back to 1761, where the first throwing took place to celebrate the Coronation of King George III. Another one was held in 1956, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Abingdon. The buns are specially baked for the occasion and are often preserved by local families and visitors. The Abingdon County Hall Museum has a selection of buns from previous bun throwing events throughout the years and there is a local café named after the tradition with old newspaper clippings and pictures on the wall. Bun throwing is one of several ancient tradition in Abingdon. The town council organises bun throwing events, usually as a gesture of loyalty and goodwill to the monarch and mainly associated with royal events.