Yeast-raised sweet bread round with sweet spices, lemon and a little dried fruit and candied peel. Made in a large size with (typically) 8 division markings and a small, individual, form known as a starver.


Children eating Colston Buns
Image: Unknown



Edward Colston


Named after Edward Colston, 1636-1721, a Bristol merchant who endowed a school and almshouses and who is commemorated each November at a service in the Cathedral where schoolchildren are issued with the buns. They are also manufactured as ordinary fare by several bakers in the city (Mason+Brown 2004).

More recently, Mr Colson's name has become controversial because of his connections to the slave trade, and the The Colston Society, which had operated for 275 years commemorating Colston and supporting a 'Colston Day' distribution of the bun, decided to disband in 2020.


Colson Buns in Bristol Cathedral, 2016
Image: Twitter user @CounterColston