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by Hugh Pihlens

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You are in [Themes] [Town & Manor] [Hocktide & Tutti-Day]

Hocktide in Hungerford is one of the best known of all ancient English ceremonies still taking place in the twenty-first century. It is thought that it is only in Hungerford that this festival continues to be marked and celebrated.

Follow these links for a brief Tutti-Day Schedule, or a video of the Bellman summoning the Commoners to Court.

The chief function of Tutti-Day is the holding of the Hocktide Court, and the other events of the week such as the Ale-Tasting and the Commoners' Lunch are largely modern embellishments.

Origins of Hocktide: The origins are unclear. One theory relates it to a medieval festival that may have celebrated the massacre of the Danes in England or the death of Harthacanute in the 11th century. Traditionally the festivities consisted of a practice called binding: the men of the parish tying up the women and demanding a kiss for their release. The next day the women would tie up the men and demand a payment before setting them free. The monies collected would then be donated to the parish funds.

An alternative, and far more plausible, theory relates them to the ancient tourns (see panel on right). In essence, the festival marks the end of the medieval financial year.

The origin of the name Hocktide is unclear. It has been suggested that it derives from the Saxon "Heah-tit" or "high festival". No trace of the word is found in Old English, and hock-day, its earliest use in composition, appears first in the 12th century.

The presentation of end-of-year accounts, fines, records, elections and changes of office-holders are key to the underlying events of the festival. Of course, in the present day, we now have a fixed national tax year (5/6th April), but it was originally related to the New Year, and this in turn originated because of Easter being around this time. Hocktide fits comfortably with the work of the Commoners Court, and the closing of end-of-year accounts, and the celebration of the New Year.

Hocktide was celebrated on the second Monday and Tuesday after Easter Sunday. Hock-Tuesday was an important term day, rents being then payable, for with Michaelmas it divided the rural year into its winter and summer halves. (See Rural Calendar)

Follow this link for an transcription of the Hocktide Court Book of 1583, and a sample of the original document.

The key events of Hocktide: Summers gives a detailed account of the proceedings and customs of Hocktide as they were enacted at the beginning of the twentieth century, and only minor changes have taken place since, but some detail is perhaps worth noting here.

The proceedings start with the Macaroni Supper held at the John of Gaunt Inn on the Friday of Easter week. The meal of Macaroni cheese and watercress is attended by the Constable and other serving officers of the Hocktide Court, who discuss possible appointments to office at the new court. In bygone days the Macaroni Supper marked the end of the quit rent year, by which time the various town rents and tolls had to be paid to the Constable.

A fairly recent innovation has been the introduction of an evening of Ale-Tasting on the following Monday evening, the night before Tutti-Day itself. All commoners and some invited guests join the Constable and official Ale-Tasters in the Corn Exchange to share in the tasting(!) of the ale. A cold buffet is served, and the evening makes a splendid prelude to the important day to come.

Tutti-Day Schedule: The following day, the second Tuesday after Easter, is then the most celebrated day in the Hungerford calendar. Hockney Day, Hock Tuesday, or more usually nowadays Tutti-Day, is when the Hocktide Court, or Commoners Court is held in the Town Hall. Previously it was held at '8 of the clock in the forenoon', but since about 1900 it has started at 9 o'clock.

At 8 o'clock, however, the Town Crier, in his role as Bellman and Assistant Bailiff, stands on the balcony of the Town Hall, sounds the Lucas Horn, and summons all commoners to the court with the words: "Oyez! Oyez! All ye Commoners of the Town and Manor of Hungerford are requested to attend your Court House at 9 o'clock this morning on pain of being fined. God Save The Queen!" He then walks the length of the High Street and Bridge Street repeating his call. Summers tells us that at the turn of the century it was customary for the Assistant Bailiff to be supplied at Hocktide with a new official dress, including a grey coat with scarlet facings, and brass buttons, and with a tall hat with gold bands. The dress is the same today, but our present Crier and Assistant Bailiff, Robin Tubb, who has just celebrated 50 years of town crying, has to manage as best he can without the luxury of new dress clothes annually!

A further custom in the early 1900's was that those commoners who were unable to attend court came out into the street and paid the Assistant Bailiff the 'Commoners Penny', which seems to have taken the place of the shilling fine previously. This 'Commoners Penny' is quite separate from the 'head penny' which is collected later in the day by the Tutti-men.
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The Commoners Court: At 9 o'clock prompt, the court convenes in the Town Hall, whilst the two Tutti-men start out on their journey around the old town, accompanied by the Orange-man, a sort of mentor and guide, whose experience over many years is of considerable value to the Tutti-men during their strenuous day.

At the head of the meeting is the Constable, who takes his seat in a carved ebony chair often referred to as the 'John of Gaunt' chair, although it is probably of Portugese origin, and dating from the Elizabethan period! The Lucas Horn is laid before him, and proceedings commence. (See Hocktide Court Agenda 2011).

The Hocktide Jury of at least 12 commoners is sworn in, and they select a foreman. The roll of commoners is called, and the fines are now paid by a friend so that his right of pasture and fishing is not lost for the following year. The Steward of the Manor then reads the 'Ancient Customs', handed down for generations.

The Common Rights are usually for two or four cows (and maybe one horse also), depending originally on the number of animals the owner could support through the winter months. The rights to fish in the Town and Manor water and to shoot on the Common and Freeman's Marsh, are not transferable, being held by the Commoner in person, who, besides being the owner of the property with rights, must actually live within 5 miles of the Town Hall. It is customary in the present day for the grazing rights to be waived, however, and the Trustees let the grazing to various local farmers. The sum thus raised is used to maintain the common pasture (fence repairs, tree-felling, planting, and fertilizing), and any balance accrues to the general Town and Manor funds for maintaining the Town Hall. Two local farmers (the Harvey brothers) act as Haywards, and have given invaluable service for many years.
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Constable Greg Furr, with Tutti-Men, Bellman Robin Tubb, Orangeman and Tutti-Wenches, 9am 3 May 2011



Bellman Robin Tubb summoning the Commoners, 8am 21st April 2009

		Medieval "Tourns" The origins of the court in Hungerford are unclear, but it is interesting to compare them with the ancient 'tourns' which were established over much of the country by the thirteenth century. The following quotation from Sir Arthur Bryant's The Mediaeval Foundation (Collins, 1966), describes a tourn: "Twice a year, at Easter and Michaelmas, the sheriff visited every hundred in the shire to hold a tourn or criminal court. Everyone who held freehold land in the hundred except the greater magnates had to attend or be fined for absence. In the tourn or 'law hundred', peasants of villein blood as well as freemen played a part. For by Anglo-Saxon law every layman without land that could be forfeited for felony had to belong to a tithing — a group of neighbours responsible for one another's good conduct. Before the sheriffs annual view of frankpledge as it was called, the bailiff checked the tithing lists of every village in his hundred, crossing out the names of those who had died, and swearing in any lad who had reached the age of twelve, and so become in the eyes of the law a responsible citizen. Then he and every other villager paid his tithing-penny, which constituted, with the various court fees and assized rents, the profits of the hundred jurisdiction. At the sheriffs tourn every village or township was represented by its reeve and four men who answered for any omission in its public duty and for such offences as ploughing up the king's highway or executing a thief caught red-handed without first securing the official witness of a royal bailiff or coroner. They were responsible too for the townships payment of fines imposed on it for breaches of the regulations for baking of bread and brewing of ale. They had to report to twelve freeholders called the jury of presentment all crimes that had been committed within the township. The tourn dealt also with nuisances like washing clothes in wells and polluting the drinking water. More serious offences were presented by the jury to the royal justices for trial on their next visit to the shire." The similarities between the Hocktide Court and the ancient tourn are quite striking, and it is probable that the ceremonies which still take place today in Hungerford have their origins in these ancient courts of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.



	Bellman, Robin Tubb Click the photo to see a video



	Constable and Hocktide party with the Tutti-wenches, 2009



			Hocktide Court, 2009



			Tutti-men and Orangeman, 2009

Following the reading of the list of Commoners, the Constable next submits the accounts, an item which in previous years must have occupied some considerable time. Quit-rents and tolls are no longer collected, of course, but the fishery accounts, and those of the Town Hall, Common, and John of Gaunt Inn are read and approved before being submitted to the Charity Commissioners.

Then follows the Election of Officers, starting with the Constable. For this, the highest office in the Town and Manor, a candidate must have already served as Tutti-man, Bailiff, and Port-Reeve. Often he is re-elected for a second or third year of office. It is interesting that until 1926 the Constable was also the official Coroner for the area. The Port-Reeve (or Portrieve), whose duty in earlier years was to collect quit-rents, is next elected, but traditionally this position now goes to the Bailiff of the preceeding year.

The Bailiff used to collect the tolls due at the fairs and markets in the town, and as a symbol of authority he has a black, silver mounted staff, bearing the date 1688. Next to be elected are the Water-Bailiffs, now eight in number, reflecting the increasing importance and complexity of caring for the towns stretch of river, and the eight Overseers of the Common (Port Down), whose job is all the more responsible now that the Common is used not only for grazing, but for innumerable sports and activities.

There are three Keepers of the Keys of the Common Coffer, although the Constable is a fourth Keeper during his term of office. Two Ale-Tasters are elected, and four Tutti-men, two of whom retire each year. The office of Bellman and Assistant Bailiff completes the Office Holders - a total of 29 people in 1982. Although some offices (notably those relating to the Fishery and Common) have grown in number in recent years, there are some positions that have fallen from usage. There no longer are two Searchers and Sealers of Leather, or two Tasters of Flesh and Fish! The appointment of a Blacksmith (much involved with "shoeing the colts" after the Hocktide lunch) dates from 1979, when Paul Good was the first in post.

When the election of officers is completed, various notices and presentments regarding the administration of the fishery, the Town Hall, and the Common are read, and discussion of these and other matters takes place. When all grievances are aired, and each has had his say, the Commoners Court is closed.
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Meanwhile, the Tutti-men have set out on their journey which will last them all day. They carry the famous Tutti-Poles, which are two-metre tall staves, decorated beautifully in a traditional way with spring flowers and ribbons. For many years this has been carried out lovingly by Mrs Jean Tubb, mother of the Town Crier. It is probably these decorated poles that give Tutti-day its name, tutti being a West Country name for a nose-gay, or bunch of sweet-smelling flowers. No doubt the Tutti-men were glad of their tutti's when visiting some of the less sweet-smelling parts of the town in Mediaeval times!

In the past the Tutti-men collected the 'head-penny' from each and every householder (with commoners rights), but this custom lapsed many years ago. Nevertheless, every commoners house is visited during the day, and inevitably the visitors are offered hospitality at each one. Traditionally they were able to ask for a kiss from the lady of the house in addition to the head-penny. This custom has not lapsed(!), and the Tutti-men have been known to use many devices including ladders to achieve their aim! The Orangeman supplies an orange for presentation to each lady kissed. It was mentioned earlier that there are about 100 commoners houses to visit, and it is no wonder that the Tutti-men sometimes look rather the worse for wear. However, the Orange-man, a post filled for many years by Paul Lewington (following on from his father "Bob"), ensures that all goes well and that the whole hazardous course is completed by the end of the day!
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At mid-day the Commoners' Luncheon is held for all commoners, their invited guests and some ticket holders in the Corn Exchange. It was held in the Three Swans Hotel until 1974, but the move to a bigger room has meant that many more Hungerford residents are now able to enjoy the event. During the meal the Ale-Tasters are called upon to judge the quality of the ale being served, using for the purpose the large pewter tankards which are the symbol of their office. Also served at the lunch is 'ye ancient Plantaganet punch' whose recipe was traditionally handed down to successive landlords of the Three Swans.

After the meal, and the speeches by the Constable and his guest speaker, all newcomers to the Tutti-lunch, who are called 'colts', are shod, by having shoeing nails driven into their shoes (and occasionally, it is whispered, their feet!), by the local blacksmith, a post held enthusiastically for many years by Mr Peter Rackham. The hammering only stops when the colt shouts 'punch' and pays a contribution to his meal.

Copper coins, which at one time were heated first, were thrown to the children of the town in the past, but since the move to the Corn Exchange the danger of traffic has prevented this custom whose origin is quite unknown, from continuing. Recently, some coppers are thrown by the Tutti-men during their trip around the town.

In past years, the final event of the week was the Hocktide Ball, held in the 1980s in the John of Gaunt School, although previously a banquet was held in the Corn Exchange to round off the proceedings.

On the following Sunday, the second after Easter, the newly elected Constable leads his office-holders and other town officials and representatives of various organisations to St. Lawrence's Church for the 'Constable's Service', the Bailiffs staff being carried by the Bellman as they walk in procession.

The customs are carried out today, very much as they would have been many centuries ago. Hungerford's Commoners Court is now unique in the country, the last remaining court with such administrative jurisdiction over its affairs. Let us hope that the traditions will continue to be carefully re-enacted to inspire future generations with thoughts of centuries of rural English history.

Updated: 20.8.2011