Like the Cheese Rolling competition at Cooper’s Hill near Gloucester the ‘Snuffin’ or ‘Fightin for Snuff’ ‘is another quaint tradition, the significance of which has been lost since the 18th century. I reported on this oddity years ago but it’s worth repeating here for newer members…
The defenders of the snuff are drawn from the rugby club. One man has a horn filled with snuff and is protected by two brawny fellows in triangular formation. Townspeople then attack the group in Towerdykeside at 6:00 am. When weight of numbers show and the horn is after a protracted struggle taken, it is surrendered and offered around. A silent film from 1937, which you can see online, shows that back then it was quite a rough melee.
Packets of snuff are also thrown from Drumlanrig Tower amongst the townsfolk to scramble for.
The Common Riding dates back to 1514 (a year after the colossal slaughter of Scots at Flodden) when mounted boys of Hawick and other border towns managed to repel English marauders. How snuff became involved is anyone’s guess although some claim is harks back to the days when Scottish soldiers supposedly received a ration of snuff before battle.
Pictures from 2018.
