This year’s hot pennies ceremony will be taking place from 12noon on Tuesday, July 25. 

Possibly one of the town's quirkiest events, dating back to the 13th Century, Honiton’s Hot Pennies Ceremony remains unbroken for several hundred years, and still takes place on the first Tuesday after July 19th each year. 

Beginning at 12 noon in the Old Pannier Market, The Town crier, accompanied by The Mayor and local dignitaries, hoists a garlanded pole with a gloved hand at the top and proclaims that ‘No man may be arrested so long as the glove is up’ this was so that everyone would come to Honiton for the fair which followed the ceremony, without the fear of being arrested. 

100 pennies are thrown from the balcony of the former Assembly Rooms, above the Old Pannier Market, and then a procession follows the garlanded Pole to a number of pubs and public houses where ‘hot pennies’ are thrown to the gathered children. 

Nowadays the pennies thrown are merely warm, but the tradition of the pennies being thrown hot was because the affluent people who threw the coins took great delight in seeing the peasants burn their fingers whilst picking them up. 

Town crier Dave Retter said it was one of the town's "quirky" attractions which saw "plenty of money" up for grabs. 

Honiton Town Cryer would like to thank WBW Solicitors, Honiton Town Council, Tesco’s, A1 Printers and Honiton Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring this year’s Honiton Hot Pennies event. 

The event coincides with Honiton’s Charter Day, taking place on Saturday, July 29 from 10 am to 4 pm in the high street and Allhallows. The 766th Anniversary of the granting of the Market Charter in 1257 until present day. 

At Honiton charter day, you can expect a tractor and classic car display, George the Magician, live music, decorated window displays, plus a dog show, a bouncy castle, charity stalls, a food village, a traditional street market, and an art and craft village.