For several centuries the last Sunday in Lent, Palm Sunday, was in many parts of the country, the occasion for a barely-remembered ceremony, passing out the Pax Cake or Pax Bun after the morning service. In its early form the pax cake was of plain bread and was accompanied with a glass of ale.

By the end of the 19th century it was a custom more or less confined to this part of Hereforshire, where it seems to have begun; although the glass of ale had been discontinued. Even in 1907 it was a local oddity and an observer said that "It was a strange sight to see everyone in church with a bun, and still more curious to see the ladies filing out with their prayer books surmounted by one of these confections."

The Pax Cake, which came to usually be a sort of shortbread, originated in the area of Hentland and neighbouring parishes.

The giving of Pax cakes, which at Hentland was always associated with Lady Scudamore and the year 1570, but is now known to date back to 1484 when Thomas More, a wealthy Sellack vicar died. His will stated "I will that Bread and Ale to the value of 6 shillings and 8 pence be distributed to all and singular in the aforesaid churches for the good of my soul". Over the centuries the founders name was forgotten, so that in Victorian times the charity was recorded as being left by an unknown donor.

Hentland parish charities

Pax cakes are passed around after the service accompanied by the words "Peace and Good Neighbourhood". Taking part in this ceremony was "evidence of a desire to lay aside all enmity in order to prepare for the Easter Festival.