Hungerford
In the far West of West Berkshire, alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal and surrounded by beautiful countryside, the charming market town of Hungerford boasts impressive transport links for a town of its size. It is conveniently placed for access to the M4 motorway and is on the main train line from London Paddington to the West Country.
Hungerford is perhaps best known today as a centre for antique shops and fairs. The town is also home to other unique shops and boutiques, where you can lose yourself for a delightful few hours. There’s also a range of warm and friendly pubs, cheery tea shops and restaurants with much to tempt you.
Traditions is the cornerstone of several events in Hungerford. Tutti Day, once a nationwide affair, takes place on every second Tuesday after Easter. Hungerford residents are the only people in Britain still to don their costumes as part of the Hocktide celebrations. The Tuttimen follow the Orange Man to each residence in the town, climbing their ladders to present the ladies of each house with an orange, in return for a kiss. Gentlemen then offer up their penny to the Tuttimen as ‘rent’.
The town is also home to the July Hungerford and District Community Arts Festival (HADCAF) where local talents are showcased for an enraptured audience and a pre-Christmas must, the Victorian Extravaganza.
It’s impossible to escape the wonderful countryside. The town is surrounded by open common land and not far from England’s highest chalk hill, Walbury Hill, near Inkpen.
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