Later this year, you will be able to watch the Freemen (and women) of the City of London exercise their ancient right to drive sheep across London Bridge.
Organised by the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, for a suitable contribution, a Freeman or friend of a Freeman can take a flock of sheep across the bridge of ancient fame.
And we less free men can watch them do it.
The sheep drive takes place every half-hour on Sunday 25th September between 10am-5pm.
The Worshipful Company of Woolmen
Proceeds will be divided between the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and The Worshipful Company of Woolmen’s charitable trust.
Expect around 20 sheep, and based on last time this was done, at least 600 freemen to herd them back and forth.
There will also be a woolly fair around Monument, which will include 40 craft and fashion accessories market stalls, twelve urban street food stalls, 4 fashion pods with regular fashion displays, and a tented pavilion showing the story of wool.
The Band of the Irish Guards will play accompanied by their mascot, an Irish wolfhound.
When I went to see this last year I discovered it squeezed onto the western pavement of the bridge, with police stopping anybody from using the subway to get there. Despite being advertised widely, it seems, it was a private event – with only those sufficiently brave or mad to run across the road able to get close to it. All rather disappointing I thought.