TITHINGMEN and Tutti wenches were abroad in Hungerford today (Tuesday), as the town marked the 600-year-old festival of Hocktide.
The celebration - which used to be country-wide – has survived intact in the town, and marks the granting of commoners’ rights to Hungerford by John O’Gaunt in the 14th century.
The merriment commenced at 8am as Constable of the Town and Manor Robin Tubb sounded the horn from the town hall to summon commoners to the Hocktide Court.
Soon after, the tithingmen men clutching their floral poles and the Tutti wenches with their baskets of treats appeared throughout the High Street, offering sweets and oranges in exchange for pennies and kisses from the townspeople.
This year’s Tutti men were Nick Lumley and Bevil Granville, who were enjoying some of the perks of the job.
The tithingmen toured up and down the road collecting their dues - a penny - from the residents. Those who could not pay were asked to give a kiss in place of the money.
Mr Granville said: “This is a tradition carried out for the last 600 years. There are a lot of people who give a lot of time and we feel it’s rightful that these traditional are maintained.”
The men were accompanied by Tutti wenches from John O’Gaunt School, who were hand picked for their academic and attendance records.
This year marked a special celebration for contstable Robin Tubb, who was marking his 50th Tutti day in office.
Mr Tubb was appointed at Hocktide Court in 1957, when he was just 17-years-old. Since then he has not missed a single meeting, let alone Hocktide event.
He said: ““We get all sorts of reactions from people in the streets. We have a very good crowd from a very wide area.
“It’s a serious day, it’s a fun day, it’s a day that I can’t see in my time dying out. Younger people are still interested and it may perpetuate long into the future.”

Click the view video link to hear more from Robin Tubb and Hungerford’s Tutti men and Tutti wenches.