Honiton Hot Pennies Ceremony

Annual Ceremony of hot pennies from Honiton

The ceremony starts with the Mayor and Town Crier lifting a garland pole with a glove on top, they proclaim ‘no man may be arrested so long as this glove is up’. This was to encourage all locals and neighbours to attend without fear of being arrested over bad debts. Hot pennies are thrown from rooms above the Old Pannier Market. The Custom for hot pennies stems back to the local gentry enjoying the view as the peasants burnt themselves trying to pick up the pennies.

Honiton was a Roman stopping point along the Fosse Way an ancient road linking Exeter to Lincoln, the town is known for its lace, pottery and its Hot Pennies celebration. The celebration is held on the first Tuesday after the 19 July, started in the 13th Century when the town was given a Royal Charter to hold a market, the tradition also has roots as far back as King Stephen who reigned 1135-1154.