Bunfight

Its a very special place to live, Abingdon. As the oldest continuously settled town in the country, a few rather special traditions might be not only justified, but expected. And one such tradition would be our Bun-Throwing.

Take any wildly exciting Royal Occasion. As readers may be aware, one such event happened recently, with the marriage of a certain two young people, one of whom may one day become our king. An event so important that my brother`s family felt it necessary to make the long trek back from Tanzania, purely in order to be in the country to mark the occasion. They may deny this, but we know the truth.

Take a moment to review the prettier pictures of the old County Hall (linked above under the bun throwing); sadly the bunting and general flaggery cannot disguise today`s scaffolding. And picture, not councillors in hard-hats peering through a gap in the scaffolding, but instead gloriously attired Town Mayor and Town Crier and various dignitaries all standing on the roof.

And then take one MayorAnd assorted others
A starving populace
And wind up those arms to throw.Amidst shouts of Long Live The Queen Throw Harder, Duncan!, watch those buns fly.
With arms raised high, the poor starving populace prepare to scrabble for any buns which reach them.
Those without fully functional arms choosing to use whatever catching tools they have at their disposal
We wait, watching, as those buns (surprisingly hard to photograph) spin over the crowd, falling mainly to the front of us. A particularly athletic councillor proves to have a very decent bowling arm, and, clinging to the scaffolding for support, he sends buns hurtling towards the back. And finally, success!
An Abingdon Bun! We scored two between the eight of us; not wonderful but enough for everyone to have a taste. Friends to the front caught thirteen and were off to celebrate with chips. Friends to the rear caught none, and were off to commiserate with chips.

A new refinement this year; initials on the buns - a very tasteful W and C for the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. And then the crowds dispersed, and we trundled our way home, heads full of flags and missed buns, and wondering if my mother really was the only person to be singing all the words to the second verse of the National Anthem before the bunfight began?

God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.

Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign.
May she defend our laws,
And give us ever cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen.

Tia