06 May 2025
An ancient ceremony dating back almost 700 years will be renacted on the streets of St Albans on Sunday.
The traditional Beating the Bounds event first took place in 1327 and involves walking along the city’s 4.5-mile boundary.
During the event, wands made of willow will be used to beat the ground at significant locations.
In the past, the ceremony was used for people to pass on knowledge of where the city’s boundaries lay and assert their rights as citizens.
The walk is led by current Mayor of St Albans Cllr Jamie Day, and starts at 2pm at the puddingstone in front of Kingsbury Mill in St Michael’s Village.
Town crier Stephen Potter and the Mayor’s Macebearer Megan Seiorse will assist with the ceremony
The walk will take around two hours and everyone who completes it will receive a special Beating the Bounds certificate.
Cllr Day said: “I have been looking forward to this occasion since becoming Mayor last year and it will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of my civic year.
“Beating the Bounds is a wonderful event, open to everyone, and I would urge people to join us
“In doing so, they will be keeping alive a St Albans tradition that dates back centuries. Not only will we be connecting with our past, but we will also have a lot of fun along the way.”
The ceremony has its roots in a rebellion in medieval times against the authority of the established church. Following a riot by the townspeople against the Abbot, 24 citizens walked around the town in 1327 to lay down its boundaries.
They declared their rights and freedoms within this area should be respected and their action has been celebrated since with the Beating the Bounds ceremony.
