ANCIENT celebrations unique to Hungerford took place on Tuesday to mark the annual festival of Hocktide.
The festival is traditionally the time when commoners, who were given rights by land owner John O’Gaunt in the 14th Century, pay their rent to Hungerford Town and Manor.
The day started with the sounding of the Constable’s Horn by the Bellman for the Town and Manor, Robin Tubb at 8am.
An hour later, Constable and head of the Town and Manor, Barbara Barr, who was elected last year as the first ever woman Constable, presented the flower-topped tutti poles to the tithingmen, Adam Power and Jane Corbett - referred to as a ‘tithingman’ despite being a woman - who set off to collect the dues of pennies and kisses from ‘common properties’ in High Street and Bridge Street.
They visited Fare Wise Travel in High Street first, accompanied by tutti wenches from John O’Gaunt Community Technology College, carrying sweets. They were greeted by the travel agent, Veronica Bailey, with glasses of champagne.
Tithingman Adam Power said: “Years ago, the tithingmen would actually have collected the rent, so they would have been quite burly, and the tutti poles would have been used for literally pushing people out of the way. Also, it would have been a bit smelly in commoners’ houses back then, so the flowers would have masked the smell.
“I use some of my commoner’s rights, by fishing in the River Dun and having a couple of cows on the Hungerford Port Down. There is not as big a crowd as there used to be, but it is still a nice crowd.”
While the tithingmen set off on their rounds, the commoners were summoned to the commoners’ court in the town hall, where their names were read out, the accounts from last year were verified and Barbara Barr was appointed as Constable for a second year.
She thanked the commoners for electing her for a second term, and spoke about the past year as Constable, saying: “It has been a huge learning curve. I am a teacher, and it has been like taking A levels but only doing them in one year.
“The Town and Manor has received a grant to restore the River Dun over 10 years and put in place a plan to protect the wildlife there. I am pleased to say this will not interfere with commoners’ rights.”
After the court, Bellman for the Town and Manor, Robin Tubb said: “This is my 51st year of being involved in Hocktide. A lot of preparation goes into it beforehand, like getting the notice of the event out. A lot of it is spread by word of mouth. It is an old system, but it works.”
There was a steam organ outside the town hall, run by Barnaby Newton, and a farmers’ market in Market Street throughout the morning.
Later in the afternoon, there was a Hocktide lunch at the town hall, where television chef Clarissa Dickson Wright was guest speaker.
The day was finished off with a free concert given by Hungerford Town Band at the town hall from 7pm until 9pm.