Buzz
While many claim that free meals are a myth, they simply haven’t explored all the possibilities. The ancient Romans believed that offering bread and circuses could keep the public content, and free food has long been a proven method to win favor. Over the years, the UK has developed numerous traditions that allow fortunate individuals to enjoy complimentary meals.
Given the challenges of 2020, here are ten strategies to enjoy meals without spending a penny.
10. St Briavels
Typically, Anglican churches offer modest fare like crackers and wine. However, in the quaint village of St Briavels, you might find yourself showered with bread and cheese during an annual event.
Every year, a vicar is invited to preach a sermon, receiving payment only if the congregation applauds at the end. Following this, in a tradition rooted in the 12th century, chosen locals carry baskets filled with small cubes of cheese and bread to the top of a structure called the Pound Wall. Dole Claimers then assemble at the base, eagerly awaiting the food to be thrown down to them.
Some attendees use inverted umbrellas to catch the food without letting it hit the ground. Interestingly, most don’t consume the bread or cheese but instead preserve them as tokens of good fortune. Miners once believed these items could prevent mine collapses. Nowadays, the food cubes are placed in matchboxes and tucked under pillows, believed to inspire dreams of the future.
9. Farthing Loaf Day
Many of the food-related traditions scattered throughout the British calendar originated from wills where individuals left funds to ensure these events continued. It’s a thoughtful way to be remembered positively, as people adore free food. However, it’s not a guaranteed method to immortalize your name.
In Kidderminster, a kind-hearted widow residing on Church Street bequeathed money in her will to foster a sense of community on the street. Sadly, the name of this generous woman has been lost to time.
On Midsummer Eve, anyone born on Church Street was invited to partake in a feast known as Farthing Loaf Day. Sadly, the funds for this event were depleted due to poor investments. However, John Brecknell of Church Street, whose name endures, donated £150 to the cause in 1776. His wish was for every child and unmarried woman on the street to receive a tuppenny plum-cake along with bread. Additionally, he provided pipes, tobacco, and ale to the men who gathered in camaraderie.
The toast shared at the gathering is, “Peace and Good Neighbourhood!” Indeed, food has a way of fostering goodwill among neighbors.
8. Tichborne Dole
In the 13th century, as Lady Mabella Tichborne lay on her deathbed, she requested her husband to perform a small act of kindness: distribute food to the poor. Her husband agreed but imposed a strict condition. He would allocate land for growing corn to make bread for the needy, but only as much land as the ailing lady could encircle while holding a burning torch.
Remarkably, Lady Mabella managed to cover 23 acres. This land, still referred to as the Crawls, continues to supply flour for the Tichborne Dole, distributed annually on Lady Day, March 25th. While loaves of bread were once handed out, attendees now receive a portion of flour to bake their own bread.
After witnessing her husband’s response to her plea, Lady Mabella reportedly added a curse: if the Tichborne Dole were ever discontinued, the family would perish, and their home would crumble. When the tradition was halted in the 18th century due to unruly behavior, part of the house collapsed, prompting its swift revival. The Tichborne name endures to this day.
7. Scrambling Cakes
If you resided in Twickenham in 1367, you might have qualified for a generous handout of free food, such as peas or beans. However, this practice was eventually discontinued. A more appealing tradition emerged when two large cakes were thrown to the poor every Easter Sunday. Predictably, chaos often ensued as crowds fought over the cakes.
The chaos caused by the cake-throwing became so severe that the Parliament of 1645 intervened and outlawed the custom. They deemed fighting over cake crumbs an inappropriate way to honor Jesus’ resurrection. Instead, they proposed distributing ordinary loaves of bread, which led to a more peaceful celebration.
A later Twickenham tradition, possibly linked to the cake and bread scrambles, involved the Vicar’s Day Charity. A local priest would climb the church tower and toss loaves of bread to children below. This version of the scramble was apparently more orderly and respectful.
6. Wayfarers’ Charity
While free food is a blessing, free alcohol is even better. In the past, travelers journeying across Britain could rely on the kindness of towns and villages, where religious institutions often provided food and shelter. However, after the dissolution of the monasteries, this tradition largely faded away.
In Winchester, one place still upholds this tradition, offering anyone in need a slice of bread and a mug of beer. The Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty, established in the 1130s, was founded as a charitable institution. A French monk introduced the practice of giving bread and wine to the poor, though beer was later adopted as a more fitting English alternative.
Today, anyone seeking a complimentary meal can simply ask at the Porter’s Lodge. Alternatively, one could join the 25 brothers of the house, who enjoy reduced-rent apartments and a subsidized two-course lunch.
5. Butterworth Dole
At St Bartholomew’s Church in Smithfield, London, 21 widows once received a sixpence each on Good Friday. The widows would gather in the churchyard as the coins were placed on a tombstone, then step forward to claim their share. The origins of this tradition remain unclear, as the church’s records were destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Over time, fewer widows came to collect their coins, and the charity faded. However, in the 19th century, G.W. Butterworth donated funds to revive the tradition, transforming it into a distribution of both money and food for impoverished widows. When widows stopped attending, the charity shifted to offering Hot Cross Buns, a classic British Easter delicacy.
Even today, poor widows are welcome to attend and receive the sixpence or its modern equivalent, now valued at around 20 pence.
4. Beating the Bounds in Leighton Buzzard
In 1630, Edward Wilkes constructed 10 almshouses to shelter the poor, honoring his father, John. Upon his death, Edward requested that beer and bread be distributed every Rogation Tide, giving rise to the Wilkes Walk tradition in his memory.
Rogation days are often marked by a ‘beating of the bounds,’ a procession around a parish’s borders to preserve the memory of its boundaries. In Leighton Buzzard, on Rogation Monday, a procession departs from All Saints Church, passes the almshouses, and proceeds to the market square. To make the event unforgettable, while the Clerk reads from Edward Wilke’s will, a choirboy is lifted by his ankles.
Originally, buns and beer were distributed, but the beer made the event overly rowdy. Later, buns and lemonade were handed out at the market cross. This practice ended in 1896 when the demand for buns overwhelmed the parish ladies. Today, the buns are distributed inside the church.
3. Cheese Rolling
If you visit Cooper’s Hill at the right time, you’ll witness crowds of people seemingly losing their minds. After gathering at the top of a 200-yard slope, someone shouts:
“One to be ready! Two to be steady! Three to prepare! and four to be off!”
Then, they hurl themselves down the hill, all chasing a single prize – a round wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. The annual cheese-rolling event attracts participants from across the globe, eager to win a free piece of cheese. While only one person claims the cheese, hundreds leave with injuries ranging from bruises to broken bones.
The exact origins of cheese rolling remain unclear, but the first recorded event dates back to 1826. Over the years, there have been attempts to halt the event due to safety concerns. However, since participants willingly take the risk, it’s generally accepted as a case of personal responsibility.
During the Covid lockdown, large gatherings were prohibited, but organizers rolled a small ceremonial cheese to keep the tradition alive.
2. Thomasing
Thomasing was once a widespread tradition observed on St Thomas’ Day, December 23rd. It was an ideal time for charity, helping people celebrate Christmas in style. Known by various names like ‘Gooding,’ ‘Corning,’ ‘Doleing,’ ‘Washaeling,’ ‘Christmasing,’ and ‘Gathering,’ it was also called ‘Mumping,’ derived from the Saxon word ‘Mompen,’ meaning ‘to beg.’
Thomasing involved groups of women visiting homes in their community, asking for small amounts of food. Some received flour or other ingredients to make puddings, while others were given fresh fruits or vegetables. However, the most appreciated gifts were those of alcohol.
This tradition has largely faded, though some in the 1990s still recalled it. “An elderly woman went mumping for potatoes, and the farmer told her to leave. She replied, ‘You might not get a good crop next year.’ Ironically, he didn’t.
1. Bull Baiting
Sometimes, even well-meaning charity can have unintended consequences. When George Staverton passed away in 1661, he left funds in his will to provide beef and leather to the poor of Wokingham. However, this required the cruel deaths of several animals. As a butcher, Staverton’s legacy was a grim one.
Each year, just before Christmas, two bulls were paraded through the town to announce the upcoming event. These bulls weren’t simply slaughtered—they were baited. Bull baiting, a once-popular activity, involved tethered bulls fighting dogs in brutal matches. Many dogs were killed before the bulls finally succumbed to their injuries. The meat was then distributed to the hungry.
The tradition was abolished in 1821. While the meat distribution continued, the bulls were slaughtered by a butcher rather than being subjected to fights with dogs.
