More than a thousand Freemen of the City ushered their sheep along a historic trading route on Sunday, September 29, 2024 to celebrate their medieval right to bring produce to market over the Thames without paying tolls.
Shepherd-for-the-day, Damian Lewis wore his grandfather’s wool coat from First World War and carried a shepherd’s crook as he herded the animals over Southwark Bridge in homage to a centuries-old tradition and in what he described as an “eccentric, very British, day.”
Damian was photographed keeping his flock in check with the assistance of a sheep dog ahead of other freemen dressed in black hats and red and fur cloaks at the London Sheep Drive.
“It was fabulous, I’m down here on this eccentric, very British day, honouring an old tradition where Freemen of the City of London can drive their sheep… toll free, free of charge, across the bridge – London Bridge as it was in the day – into the City of London in order to sell their produce.
I was asked to do it today representing the Woolmen Company, the Worshipful Company of Woolmen I believe, to give it its full title, and I just played shepherd, shepherd Lewis, and it was very fun.”
The Worshipful Company of Woolmen is one of the oldest livery companies in the city and dates back to 1180.
Damian added:
“Thank you for asking (me), I enjoyed it, enormously.”
And you may ask about how Damian has got this privilege to drive sheep over the bridge?
Well, our favorite guy received the Freedom of the City of London honour in recognition of his achievements as an actor in March 2013 at London’s Guildhall.
Freedom of the City of London is one of the oldest surviving traditions still in existence today. The first Freedom is believed to have been granted in 1237. According to Wikipedia, being a “free man” in old times came with certain privileges, varying from the right to drive sheep and cattle over London Bridge to carrying a naked sword in public. And here is how he reacted to be granted the Freedom of the City of London honour.
“It’s remarkable, I’m still surprised. I wasn’t quite sure if they’d got the right person so I’m very happy to be here. It’s a rare occasion.”
BBC reported that Damian mourned these “privileges” are today effectively symbolic:
“I’ve got a flock in my garden in Tufnell Park but I wasn’t allowed to bring them down.”
Freedom of the City of London honour which gives Damian the exclusive privilege of walking his sheep over the Thames, toll free, is today a recognition of lifetime achievement or international standing. And, it should feel great to receive such an honour from “your city” which you think is the “greatest city in the world!”
And Damian seemed quite thrilled about being recognized as a Freeman of London
“It’s the most extraordinary honour to be offered the Freedom of the City of London – the city that I have grown up in, and love, more than any other. I’m very, very proud to be associated with it.”
He talked about some historical family connections to the city:
“Four previous lord mayors were related to me – my great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather and a great-uncle, and my grandfather. They started out as girdlers. They’d probably be making Spanx now if they were around today.”
Damian’s maternal grandfather Sir Ian Bowater served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1969 – 1970.
“My grandfather was a Haberdasher, one of the Great Twelve Guilds, and I trained at Guildhall in the Square Mile. For over 700 years, merchants, financiers and actors – to name but a few – have lived and worked here ‘cheek by jowl’ and this illustrates just what diversity there is in the City of London. I’m very, very proud to be associated with it, and to be recognised in this way.”
When Damian received the Freedom of the City of London honour in 2013, he was indeed related to four Lord Mayors. But now that Damian’s brother Sir William Russell served as the 692nd Lord Mayor of London between 2019 – 2021, he is related to five.
I don’t know about Damian but I have been waiting for this day to come since the day he received the Freeman of the City of London honor. And I can’t help wonder if he will exercise his ancient “right” to carry a naked sword one day
Master Woolman at the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, Manny Cohen, told reporters that, as a Freeman of the City of London, Mr. Lewis is “actually one of the celebrities that should be here.”
He said Mr. Lewis’ great grandfather, grandfathers, and his brother were all Lord Mayors of London, who are elected annually and run the governing body of the Square Mile, the City of London Corporation. Mr. Cohen added that Damian “has a really close link to the City of London, and it’s great to see him here today” at the “quirky” event.
The tradition of taking sheep over London Bridge was resurrected around 15 years ago and the event is sometimes held on Southwark Bridge, depending on traffic plans, Mr. Cohen said. And he added:
“We’ve just started with a few sheep and it’s sort of taken a life of its own now, and it’s a huge event – it’s the second largest outdoor event of the City of London, other than the Lord Mayor’s Show.”
A Freeman’s ancient “right” to bring sheep to market over the Thames is celebrated these days to raise funds for The Woolmen Charity which supports the wool trade and The Lord Mayor’s Appeal that works to improve “London’s most pressing societal issues.”
Please see our Gallery for more pictures and videos from the event.
