I don't think anything can surprise me anymore. Pennies for peasants... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honiton Honiton Hot Pennies Ceremony Honiton was granted a royal charter in 1221 during the reign of King Henry III that allowed it to hold a market. To celebrate, the town held the Honiton Fair, originally on Allhallows Eve and Allhallows Day (1 November), the date was changed in 1247 to the eve and feast of St Margaret (19/20 July). In order to encourage people to travel to the town from the surrounding area to attend a subsequent fair without fear of arrest for their debts, no arrests for outstanding debts were allowed while the fair took place. At the beginning landed gentry took pleasure in throwing hot chestnuts from windows to local peasants and over time these gave way to hot pennies, a seemingly philanthropic gesture resulting in burns (until the peasants figured out to wear gloves or use a cloth to pick the pennies up). The Hot Pennies ceremony still takes place annually in the High Street of the town. At noon, the Town Crier, accompanied by the Mayor and other local dignitaries, raises a garlanded pole with gloved hand at the top, and proclaims that "The glove is up. No man may be arrested until the glove is taken down". Pennies are then thrown from a number of balconies in the High Street to crowds of local people. The pole is then kept on display for the following "fair week".
