| Where: | Honiton, Devon starting at the Old Pannier Market |
| When: | Tuesday following 19th July |
| Time: | 11.30 for 12 noon |
Honiton in Devon hosts an annual fair which dates right back to a Royal Charter in the thirteenth century, and the fun always begins with the Proclamation of the Fair by the Town Crier accompanied by the Mayor and dignitaries. The crowd is encouraged to repeat the Proclamation after the Town Crier, and he reads it at each stop. During the ceremony, a large flower-covered pole is erected with a giant glove on top and while “the glove is up”, no-one can be arrested for debt at the fair; this tradition goes back to times of yore when fairgoers might have been discouraged from attending for fear of arrest, and the glove of plenty is believed to symbolise a good harvest. After the glove is raised, a shower of warm pennies is thrown from the upstairs window of the starting pub, and further showers are thrown from the windows of local hostelries as the Procession moves up and down the High Street. In the Good Old Days (!) the pennies were heated to a much higher temperature so that those scrambling to pick them up literally got their fingers burned, to the amusement of the gentry!! The order of visits varies from year to year so that each establishment gets a chance to host the Glove, but it’s easy to find the starting place by following the crowd. The final destination on the tour is where the glove remains for the duration.
Helpful Hints
The ceremony usually takes place on the first Tuesday following 19th July, but not invariably.
In 2024 it was on Tuesday July 30th- 2025 date is yet to be confirmed.
Click here for the Council’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Honiton-Town-Council-726424271106157/
and here: https://www.honiton.gov.uk/Sites/2819/_UserFiles/Files/2023%20Events.pdf
Click here for the Council’s page on the event (not working when I last checked but still the address listed on their Facebook page): http://www.honiton.gov.uk/Core/Honiton-Town-Council/Pages/Hot_Pennies_Day_6.aspx
Thanks to Carole Rowe of Gittisham for drawing my attention to this one!
The date for this year’s Hot Pennies Ceremony is Tuesday 27 July (2021).
Having been forced to cancel the Ceremony last year there is a huge sense of both optimism and relief that in this the 800th Anniversary year of the granting of Honiton’s Royal Charter, the Honiton Hot Pennies Cremony which traditionally marks the beginning of ‘Fair Week’ will take place once again. In recognition of this milestone and to celebrate the return to a ‘new normal’ there will be various attractions in the build-up to the 12:00 noon start so come along and join in the fun before the Town Cryer (Dave Retter) in his traditional costume complete with Tricorn hat hoists the wonderfully decorated Garlanded Pole to lead the crowds through the town, stopping at various hostelries and historic buildings from which the Pennies will be thrown starting at the customary hour of 12:00 noon outside
The Holt with the famous ‘Ye Glove is up …. ‘cry’ and the throwing of the first ‘Hot Pennies’ before moving up the High Street stopping at various points before finishing at
The Old Pannier Market where the Garlanded Pole will be fixed and after a final ‘Cry’ the Mayor will join the staff of The Bed Expert to throw out the last of the year’s Hot Pennies …
The Honiton Hot Pennies Ceremony Committee look forward to welcoming you – the fun begins around 11:30
Many thanks for that helpful information- I had the date right until a few days ago when I was misled by a newspaper article online! I shall put it right tonight when I get gone from work – and if I need to check the date in future I’ll come straight to you! Thanks again
Averil