The civic church service this morning ( to celebrate the 450th year of Abingdon’s charter) saw a parade led by the St Niklaas Flag throwers, and the Schongau and Abingdon bands. After the Bans for marriages had been read by Rev Charles Miller, the service ended with the churches in Argentan presenting banners that had been entrusted to them during a previous exchange two years ago back to the churches in Abingdon, and they in turn entrusted their own banner to Abingdon.
Afterwards, everybody paraded back up East St Helens Street, and congregated in the council chamber in the Guildhall for drinks.
On offer alongside various wines and juices, was this beer specially brewed by Greene King for the 450th anniversary, and called Bun Thrower. The beer is only a limited edition. It tasted very good but not quite so good as Old Speckled Hen. Just shows that they are missing something by no longer using Abingdon’s beer brewing know-how (they took over Morland and moved production to Suffolk).
Looking at the bar code on this box it has a best before date of tomorrow.
Last night people drank the beer during a hand clapping, table banging, German beer evening. Well it was German apart from the meal being steak and kidney pie.
Near the end, both the Mayor of Abingdon and the Mayor of Schongau were invited to conduct the other town’s band – a Schongau tradition.
After each tune or two we would be led in singing by the Schongau band:
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit.
And then everybody would raise their glass and sing
Einz…Zwei…Drei…Suffa!
(which translates roughly to One…Two…Three…Down the Hatch!”
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Bun throwing, flag throwing and now Bun Throwers Beer! Who ever thought that up deserves a medal of some sort.
My little town would have a fit if you suggested bun throwing, even if it was a tradition. Think of the clean up, think of the liability insurance, think of the people allergic to bakery! The beer would be welcomed, though.
Hamrash,
Many thanks for that. I just enjoy doing the blog and so don’t need the money.
Christine,
A few people did get hid on the head by buns but no serious injuries I know of. No clean up: the buns are taken away as treasures. The ones with 06 on them (a small percentage) will get preserved. The beer was good, but despite the generosity of Greene King, we cannot yet forget that they took over and closed down the Abingdon Morland brewery, who used to donate buns and beer and transport the beer in a horse drawn dray.
Hello,
Really good site/blog, brilliant for keeping in touch with the town as I am now an Abingdonian living in Luton!
Do you know where I can get hold of some of the Bun Thrower beer?
We were at the bun throwing on Saturday, our report can be found here:
http://worldofbunthrowing.blogspot.com
Cheers,
Richard
PS – We heard it was 4000 buns thrown, it seems that there are always conflicting reports as to the number thrown!