196:. In 1900 there was another perambulation of the much enlarged county boundary. On 11 September 1900 it was reported in the press that ‘the area to be covered renders the task so arduous that five days have to be set apart for the task, which will not be completed until Saturday evening.’ The party was to 'proceed from stone to stone, and see that the stones were properly marked and placed on the boundary in such a way that disputes would be averted and trouble with owners of adjoining property avoided, and also to see that the rights of the city on the line of the boundary were upheld. They would be marshalled in something like processional order’. Great pains were taken to follow the exact route, in some cases passing through private houses, going through one window by ladder and out the other, or traversing walls. A reporter noted on the first day that at one point in Horfield '‘a considerable length of wall had to be traversed. In negotiating this part of the journey
111:
180:. This made the route longer and, as a result, they only took place every few years. However, when they did take place, they could be very large-scale events. For instance, the newspaper reports of a perambulation in 1874 indicate that the perambulation of the land boundary took two days and involved about five hundred people. This was followed by a perambulation of the count's water boundary. That included the lower part of the
248:
numbering of the shirestones on the
Gloucestershire border and the Somerset border. The numbers allocated in 1736 were given on maps of Bristol produced by George Ashmead in 1828 and 1855. Since boundary stones were added in various places between 1373 and 1736, to make the line of the boundary clearer, not all the stones described in 1736 were extant in 1373.
159:(29 September). The mayor and sheriffs typically served for just one year. Doing the perambulation at this time thus allowed the outgoing and incoming officers to beat the bounds together, surveying the land and the boundaries that were being passed on from one set of civic officers to the next. Writing in the late 18th century, the antiquarian
164:
inquisitive' Barrett then provides a seven-page description of the 'Bounds'. Earlier similar published descriptions of the bounds testify to the longstanding interest of the wider public in the exact route of the perambulation. This interest outlasted the creation of accurate maps and survey of the complete county, such as that of
208:
Bristol's civic perambulations died out during the twentieth century. There was one in 2007, during the mayoralty of
Royston Griffey, which involved a perambulation of the water boundary. A civic perambulation of the medieval land boundary, led by the Deputy Lord Mayor and Deputy Sheriff, took place
105:
ij.s.: vj.d., for labourers to open the wayes vj.s., for butter, cheese plums sugar, duckes carrienge the provisions and other thinges as per
William Loydes note xvij.s.vij.d., for wyne at Robert Shewardes xxxj.s., for bread & cakes xj.s., and for sweete meates & comfittes to the widowe Patch
163:
noted that in his time 'the circumference of the whole within the liberties as appears by the perambulation round it, (which to preserve its true limits and boundaries, is made annually, at choosing a new mayor) consists of seven miles two quarters and fifty-five pearch.' To 'satisfy the curious and
221:
produced a free online map to allow ordinary people to perambulate the city according to its original 1373 boundary. This includes the location of the shirestones recorded in the 1736 survey and a route along public roads / rights of way that sticks as closely as possible to the original boundary.
71:
The route and the shirestones must have been subject to regular checks by the mayor or his officers over the following centuries to ensure that boundary stones had not been moved or disturbed. In an age before accurate maps or surveys, this was vital to ensure, for example, that nobody moved a
247:
Since the perambulation is a circular walk, it can be started from any point and walked in either direction. The route identified by Evan Jones is based on the 1736 description of the perambulation route. This began at the River Avon at the bottom of Jacobs Wells Road and included a separate
152:. The historian Matthew Woodcock argues that city and town governments saw Perambulation Day as a way 'to actively stage a reaffirmation and celebration of communal identity'. Although these perambulations were centred around the civic elite, in some instances much larger crowds joined them.
35:' it usually involved a party of civic officers (headed by the mayor and sheriffs) walking or riding around the 8 miles (12.9 km) land boundary of the city and county of Bristol. On the way they inspected the 'shirestones' (boundary markers) to ensure all were visible and in good order.
84:
Perambulating the county boundary as a civic ritual is only clearly documented from the late sixteenth century. The earliest identified reference is found in the Mayor's Audit Book for 1584, where expenses relating to the costs involved are recorded. These included breakfast for the
238:
area. The total length of Jones' route is 9 miles (14.5 km); all can be done on foot and most of it by bicycle. In June 2024, 'Arts Matter' at the
University of Bristol published a 2 minute video, featuring Jones, to promote the route and explain its background.
51:
on 8 August that established it as a county in it own right - with its own sheriffs and county court. The first action required following this was for the boundary of the town's existing lands to be accurately surveyed and agreed, by notable people from
Bristol,
456:
Bristol. The City
Charters. Containing the Original Institution of Mayors, Sheriffs, Recorders, Town-Clerks and all other Officers whatsoever...To which are added, The Bounds of the City, by Land, with the exact Distances from Stone to Stone, all round the
60:. This resulted in a long textual description of the route taken, describing landmarks and places along the way, such as ditches, embankments and existing stone boundary markers. On 20 December 1373 this survey was enshrined in a royal charter under the
72:
boundary stone as a way of stealing land. It was also important to be clear about the exact boundary because county law officers only had jurisdiction within their county. So they would only be able to arrest or prosecute a
230:
mean that buildings now block some of the early route, requiring diversions. The development of the city docks in the nineteenth century, with the creation of the
97:. Similar expenses are recorded in the city records of the seventeenth century. A typical entry, which has been published in full, is that for September 1628:
155:
In
Bristol, the perambulation typically took place between the election of the new mayor and sheriffs on 15 September and the commencement of their office at
114:
Payment references in the Mayor's Audit Books for
Bristol noting the civic expenses associated with perambulating the county's shirestones, 22 September 1666
140:, also developed or regularised the perambulation of their town / city lands during the sixteenth century. In part this was a response to the
569:
222:
Most of the 1373 route remain public roads or paths today. However, wholesale redevelopment of parts of the city, such as
168:
in 1743, which was the first to mark the county boundary in its entirety, including the location of each shirestone.
453:
469:
160:
599:
378:
348:
322:
294:
279:
264:
673:
668:
122:
outbreak of 1665-66, the mayor decided not to ride out to the 'Receipt House' (alias
Conduit House) near
693:
435:
688:
144:, which had resulted in many religious processions being abolished because they were associated with
363:
209:
on 30 September 2023. This was to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the original perambulation.
102:
93:. Following the inspection of the shirestones, the party spent the afternoon drinking a gallon of
61:
200:
Dix had the misfortune to make an abrupt and unexpected descent through the roof a fowl house’.
123:
119:
218:
393:
423:
408:
118:
In some years the perambulation had to be abandoned or curtailed. For example, during the
110:
8:
678:
612:
544:
235:
181:
141:
131:
227:
223:
145:
32:
409:
L. Matthew
Woodcock, ‘Perambulation and Performance in Early Modern Festive Culture’,
310:
Bristol Archives, CC/1/9,'Inspeximus of Perambulations of the boundaries, 30 Oct 1373'
177:
43:
The first perambulation took place on 30 September 1373, following the granting of a
585:
Byrne, Eugene (11 July 2023). "Following in the footsteps of an ancient tradition".
337:
64:- defining the territory of the new county in law. The original charter survives in
683:
231:
101:
Item paide for the Charges goeing about the Shirestones viz for ale & cakes at
65:
338:
Bristol Archives, F/AU/1/12, 'Mayor's Audit book 11, 1580 - 1581,1583 - 1584,1586'
309:
53:
484:
185:
126:. This was because doing so would have required the party to twice pass by the
662:
44:
637:
411:
Early Theatre: A Journal associated with the Records of Early English Drama
94:
284:(Bristol Record Society publications, Vol. I, Bristol, 1930), pp. 146-165.
269:(Bristol Record Society publications, Vol. I, Bristol, 1930), pp. 118-141.
165:
383:(Bristol Record Society publications, Vol. XXIV, Bristol, 1966), p. 124
189:
156:
73:
398:(Bristol Record Society electronic publication, September 2021), p. 57
381:
City Chamberlains' Accounts in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
193:
127:
176:
From 1835 the boundary of Bristol was successively expanded through
212:
197:
57:
529:"Beating of the Boundaries of Bristol: an interesting ceremony".
137:
90:
48:
28:
24:
149:
31:, from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. Also called '
570:
Jones, Evan. (15 November 2023), 'Perambulating Bristol 650'.
396:
Documents Relating to the Great Plague of 1665-1666 in Bristol
86:
299:(Bristol Record Society publications, Vol. I, Bristol, 1930)
203:
171:
148:
or incorporated rituals or practices that were seen as
23:was a civic ritual, usually performed annually, in
438:The History and Antiquities of the City of Bristol
660:
366:The Annals of Bristol in the Seventeenth Century
213:Perambulating the medieval county boundary today
234:, also forces some diversions in the Redcliffe/
79:
76:, for example, if they were in their county.
574:, Visit Bristol. Accessed 18 November 2023.
217:In July 2023 historian Evan Jones from the
204:Twenty-first century civic perambulations
327:. Bristol: J. W. Arrowsmith. p. 79.
109:
610:
600:Googlemap: Bristol County Boundary 1373
320:
661:
172:Victorian and Edwardian perambulations
584:
524:
522:
520:
449:
447:
106:xvj,s,.: all is iiij.li, vis. j.d.
440:, (W. Pine, Bristol, 1789), p. 108.
13:
545:"Lord mayor 'beats' city boundary"
517:
444:
14:
705:
424:Woodcock, 'Perambulation', p. 147
130:that had been established on the
487:Government of Bristol, 1373-1973
136:Other towns and cities, such as
16:Civic ritual in Bristol, England
630:
604:
593:
578:
563:
537:
505:
493:
478:
463:
429:
417:
402:
387:
372:
357:
342:
331:
314:
303:
288:
273:
258:
1:
459:(Felix Farley, Bristol, 1736)
295:Norah Dermott Harding (ed.),
280:Norah Dermott Harding (ed.),
265:Norah Dermott Harding (ed.),
251:
184:and the southern half of the
489:(Bristol City Council, 1973)
7:
472:Plan of the City of Bristol
297:Bristol Charters, 1155-1373
282:Bristol Charters, 1155-1373
267:Bristol Charters, 1155-1373
10:
710:
638:"Know your place: Bristol"
613:"Walking Medieval Bristol"
80:Early civic perambulations
379:Dorothy M. Livock (ed.),
351:Sixteenth-Century Bristol
324:Sixteenth Century Bristol
38:
242:
533:: 7. 11 September 1900.
531:The Western Daily Press
512:The Western Daily Press
500:The Western Daily Press
413:, 23(2), (2020), 144-47
353:(Bristol, 1908), p. 79.
321:Latimer, John (1908).
115:
368:(Bristol, 1900) p. 29
219:University of Bristol
113:
62:Great Seal of England
21:Bristol perambulation
551:. 29 September 2007
142:English Reformation
132:Forlorn Hope Estate
674:British traditions
669:History of Bristol
394:Alex Beard (ed.),
178:Acts of Parliament
116:
33:beating the bounds
694:Landscape history
485:Elizabeth Ralph,
436:William Barrett,
701:
689:Boundary markers
653:
652:
650:
648:
634:
628:
627:
625:
623:
608:
602:
597:
591:
590:
582:
576:
567:
561:
560:
558:
556:
549:BBC News Channel
541:
535:
534:
526:
515:
509:
503:
502:, 20-21 May 1874
497:
491:
482:
476:
474:(Bristol, 1743).
467:
461:
451:
442:
433:
427:
421:
415:
406:
400:
391:
385:
376:
370:
361:
355:
346:
340:
335:
329:
328:
318:
312:
307:
301:
292:
286:
277:
271:
262:
66:Bristol Archives
709:
708:
704:
703:
702:
700:
699:
698:
659:
658:
657:
656:
646:
644:
642:Know your place
636:
635:
631:
621:
619:
609:
605:
598:
594:
589:. pp. 2–3.
583:
579:
568:
564:
554:
552:
543:
542:
538:
528:
527:
518:
510:
506:
498:
494:
483:
479:
468:
464:
452:
445:
434:
430:
422:
418:
407:
403:
392:
388:
377:
373:
362:
358:
347:
343:
336:
332:
319:
315:
308:
304:
293:
289:
278:
274:
263:
259:
254:
245:
215:
206:
174:
161:William Barrett
82:
54:Gloucestershire
41:
17:
12:
11:
5:
707:
697:
696:
691:
686:
681:
676:
671:
655:
654:
629:
603:
592:
577:
562:
536:
516:
504:
492:
477:
462:
443:
428:
416:
401:
386:
371:
364:John Latimer,
356:
349:John Latimer,
341:
330:
313:
302:
287:
272:
256:
255:
253:
250:
244:
241:
214:
211:
205:
202:
186:Severn Estuary
173:
170:
81:
78:
40:
37:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
706:
695:
692:
690:
687:
685:
682:
680:
677:
675:
672:
670:
667:
666:
664:
643:
639:
633:
618:
617:UoBArtsMatter
614:
611:Arts Matter.
607:
601:
596:
588:
581:
575:
573:
566:
550:
546:
540:
532:
525:
523:
521:
514:, 2 July 1874
513:
508:
501:
496:
490:
488:
481:
475:
473:
470:John Rocque,
466:
460:
458:
450:
448:
441:
439:
432:
425:
420:
414:
412:
405:
399:
397:
390:
384:
382:
375:
369:
367:
360:
354:
352:
345:
339:
334:
326:
325:
317:
311:
306:
300:
298:
291:
285:
283:
276:
270:
268:
261:
257:
249:
240:
237:
233:
229:
225:
220:
210:
201:
199:
195:
191:
188:extending to
187:
183:
179:
169:
167:
162:
158:
153:
151:
147:
143:
139:
134:
133:
129:
125:
124:Baptist Mills
121:
112:
108:
107:
104:
98:
96:
92:
88:
77:
75:
69:
67:
63:
59:
55:
50:
46:
45:royal charter
36:
34:
30:
26:
22:
645:. Retrieved
641:
632:
620:. Retrieved
616:
606:
595:
587:Bristol Post
586:
580:
571:
565:
553:. Retrieved
548:
539:
530:
511:
507:
499:
495:
486:
480:
471:
465:
455:
437:
431:
419:
410:
404:
395:
389:
380:
374:
365:
359:
350:
344:
333:
323:
316:
305:
296:
290:
281:
275:
266:
260:
246:
226:and part of
216:
207:
175:
154:
146:saints' days
135:
120:Great Plague
117:
100:
99:
95:Madeira wine
83:
70:
42:
20:
18:
572:Bristol 650
166:John Rocque
103:Jacobs Well
679:Ceremonies
663:Categories
252:References
236:Bedminster
190:Steep Holm
182:River Avon
157:Michaelmas
74:highwayman
228:Redcliffe
224:Kingsdown
194:Flat Holm
128:pesthouse
198:Alderman
91:sheriffs
58:Somerset
684:Borders
622:12 June
454:Anon.,
232:New Cut
138:Norwich
49:Bristol
29:England
25:Bristol
647:12 May
555:12 May
150:papist
39:Origin
243:Route
87:mayor
649:2024
624:2024
557:2024
457:City
192:and
89:and
56:and
19:The
47:to
665::
640:.
615:.
547:.
519:^
446:^
68:.
27:,
651:.
626:.
559:.
426:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
