If you fancy eating a hot cross bun over the Easter period, don't eat this one - it's the world's oldest.
Grandmother Nancy Titman was given the ancient bun by her mother.
Nancy's great, great, great grandfather, William Skinner, who owned a bakery in London, made the bun in March 1821. It was subsequently passed through the generations.
1821 was the year in which Napoleon died in British captivity on St Helena and his enemy, Britain's King George IV, had an exquisite coronation to outdo that which Napoleon had.
World's oldest hot cross bun
A grandmother has the world's oldest hot cross bun - baked on Good Friday in 1821.
01 Apr 2010
The Telegraph
The world's oldest hot cross bun - baked on Good Friday in 1821 Photo: GEOFF ROBINSON
A grandmother has the world's oldest hot cross bun - baked on Good Friday in 1821.
Nancy Titman, 91, was given the incredible 189-year-old bun when her mum died and amazingly it shows no traces of mould.
The bun, which was made the same year as Napoleon died, George IV was crowned king and poet John Keats passed away, has been in her family for generations.
1821 was the year in which the exquisite coronation of Britain's King George IV - who also reigned from 1811 to 1820 as Prince Regent - took place (above). It was so lavish as George IV, Queen Victoria's uncle, not only loved pomp and ceremony but he also wanted to outdo the 1804 coronation, as Emperor, of his enemy Napoleon.
"It's a relic which has been passed down through the family. My mum said our ancestors worked in a baker's shop and they believed buns baked on Good Friday didn't go mouldy," said Nancy.
"It is rock hard and the currants have disintegrated but you can tell it's a hot cross bun and you can still see the shape of the cross."
The bun, which has the date March 1821 on its base, was made by Nancy's great, great, great grandfather, William Skinner, who owned a bakery in London.
His son was helping in the shop that Easter and made the fruity bun as a present for his mum, but she never ate the gift and instead preserved it in a box.
What else happened in 1821 other than the bun being baked?
Britain's King George IV, who became king in 1820, loved pomp and ceremony and so, on 19th July 1821, had the most exquisite coronation that Britain had ever seen - because he wanted to outdo the lavish coronation of his hated enemy, Napoleon Bonaparte, when he was crowned Emperor in 1804. In today's money, George IV's coronation cost £19 million, over 20 times the cost of his father, King George III's, coronation in 1761. George IV may have became king in 1820, but he reigned over Britain for longer, as he reigned as Prince Regent from 1811 to 1820 as his father, King George III, went mad. As Regent, London and Paris were rivals as to who could be the world's greatest city (London dwarved Paris in physical size and wealth) so, in 1811, George commissioned the architect John Nash, who designed and built the magnificent Regency terraces of Regent's Park and Regent's Street. George IV reigned until 1830, whereupon his eccentric brother became King William IV (who, unlike his brother, so hated pomp and ceremony that he mocked it all during his coronation). Queen Victoria, who succeeded William IV in 1837, was the niece of her two predecessors. Prince George, the Prince Regent, was also played by Hugh Laurie in the BBC comedy series Blackadder.
Another famous event of 1821 was the death of British poet John Keats at the age of just 25. This was a golden era of literature in Britain, which also saw Byron and Shelley doing their work. Keats wrote exquisite poetry, such as "Ode To A Nightingale" and "Bright Star, Would I Were Steadfast". Keats died on 23rd February 1821 in Rome after his doctor told him to relocate to a warmer climate.
dailymail.co.uk
Grandmother Nancy Titman was given the ancient bun by her mother.
Nancy's great, great, great grandfather, William Skinner, who owned a bakery in London, made the bun in March 1821. It was subsequently passed through the generations.
1821 was the year in which Napoleon died in British captivity on St Helena and his enemy, Britain's King George IV, had an exquisite coronation to outdo that which Napoleon had.
World's oldest hot cross bun
A grandmother has the world's oldest hot cross bun - baked on Good Friday in 1821.
01 Apr 2010
The Telegraph
The world's oldest hot cross bun - baked on Good Friday in 1821 Photo: GEOFF ROBINSON
A grandmother has the world's oldest hot cross bun - baked on Good Friday in 1821.
Nancy Titman, 91, was given the incredible 189-year-old bun when her mum died and amazingly it shows no traces of mould.
The bun, which was made the same year as Napoleon died, George IV was crowned king and poet John Keats passed away, has been in her family for generations.
1821 was the year in which the exquisite coronation of Britain's King George IV - who also reigned from 1811 to 1820 as Prince Regent - took place (above). It was so lavish as George IV, Queen Victoria's uncle, not only loved pomp and ceremony but he also wanted to outdo the 1804 coronation, as Emperor, of his enemy Napoleon.
"It's a relic which has been passed down through the family. My mum said our ancestors worked in a baker's shop and they believed buns baked on Good Friday didn't go mouldy," said Nancy.
"It is rock hard and the currants have disintegrated but you can tell it's a hot cross bun and you can still see the shape of the cross."
The bun, which has the date March 1821 on its base, was made by Nancy's great, great, great grandfather, William Skinner, who owned a bakery in London.
His son was helping in the shop that Easter and made the fruity bun as a present for his mum, but she never ate the gift and instead preserved it in a box.
What else happened in 1821 other than the bun being baked?
Britain's King George IV, who became king in 1820, loved pomp and ceremony and so, on 19th July 1821, had the most exquisite coronation that Britain had ever seen - because he wanted to outdo the lavish coronation of his hated enemy, Napoleon Bonaparte, when he was crowned Emperor in 1804. In today's money, George IV's coronation cost £19 million, over 20 times the cost of his father, King George III's, coronation in 1761. George IV may have became king in 1820, but he reigned over Britain for longer, as he reigned as Prince Regent from 1811 to 1820 as his father, King George III, went mad. As Regent, London and Paris were rivals as to who could be the world's greatest city (London dwarved Paris in physical size and wealth) so, in 1811, George commissioned the architect John Nash, who designed and built the magnificent Regency terraces of Regent's Park and Regent's Street. George IV reigned until 1830, whereupon his eccentric brother became King William IV (who, unlike his brother, so hated pomp and ceremony that he mocked it all during his coronation). Queen Victoria, who succeeded William IV in 1837, was the niece of her two predecessors. Prince George, the Prince Regent, was also played by Hugh Laurie in the BBC comedy series Blackadder.
Another famous event of 1821 was the death of British poet John Keats at the age of just 25. This was a golden era of literature in Britain, which also saw Byron and Shelley doing their work. Keats wrote exquisite poetry, such as "Ode To A Nightingale" and "Bright Star, Would I Were Steadfast". Keats died on 23rd February 1821 in Rome after his doctor told him to relocate to a warmer climate.
dailymail.co.uk
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