London’s baa-miest tradition makes a return for 2019.
Way back in the 1100s, someone – who I suspect wasn’t listening properly – told the Worshipful Company of Woolmen that it was totally chill for them to take sheep across London Bridge, free of charge. A big deal, as London Bridge was really the only bridge in the game at that point.
In more recent times, the Company had moved on from their shepherding days, until 2013, when they thought they’d check if they were still allowed. It was, and since then they’ve been flocking up the City on an annual basis.
Each year a member of the great and the good leads the proceedings, which raise money for charity. Last year, gardener extraordinaire – and part-time erotic fiction writer – Alan Titchmarsh was in charge of the herd. This time, it’s former MP, broadcaster, and steam train enthusiast Michael Portillo leading the charge of the woolly brigade, alongside the Lord Mayor of London.
This Sunday, September 29th, 600 sheep (North of England Mules, to be specific) will make the journey across the bridge, ambling back and forth across the bridge from 10am to 5pm – although we don’t expect Mr Portillo to give up the entirety of his Sunday to oversee them. There’ll also be a wool market and livery fair taking part by The Monument, featuring more woollen goods than you can shake a crook at. Get yourself a nice cardi for autumn, pet.
Ewe can find the full details at sheepdrive.london.
Also published on Medium.