The Portland Custom of Beating the Bounds

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Location: Chesil Beach

Riding the Marches

The custom of "Beating the Bounds" is to recognise the importance of the parish boundary. A tradition that has its roots in Terminalia, a May time Roman festival , which includes punishments of beatings and sacrifices to honour their boundary god Terminus.

The ritual of "Beating the Bounds" also known as 'riding the marches', 'riding the fringes' or ' common riding'. was adopted by Christianity and is traditionally held during Rogationtide, - the fifth week after Easter, which consists of Rogation Sunday and the three days following up to Ascension Day or Holy Thursday.

In essence the custom involves the local inhabitants of a Manor or village perambulating their parish boundary to bless the crops, pray and at certain points, which denote the extent of the boundary (usually a gatepost, wall, tree or boundary stone) to ritually beat the certain landmark with sticks, switches and birches. However, more often or not it was the young girls and boys of the parish who would have their backsides ritually warmed by being caned or birched over or up against the boundary marker.
Although these beatings were often harsh, they were considered necessary to ensure the imprinting of the exact location of the parish boundary on successive generations and thus serve to ensure any neighbouring parish did not encroach upon the boundaries.

Before the Reformation these annual processions were highly important and ceremonial affairs with Lords of the Manor, their bailiffs, reeves and stewards being present, as well as the clergy and the parish officials.

Knowing ones parish boundaries has little significance these days and therefore the importance of the custom has not surprisingly diminished over the years. Even so the Beating of the Bounds custom still continues in some places though in a much diluted form.

Below: 1965, Crowds gather in front of the Poole Custom House to 'beat the bounds'.

To see more footage and old clips of the tradition of 'Beating The Bounds'.

Visit the archive of British Pathe at www.britishpathe.com

Along Chesil Beach about four miles along from Portland is the "Bound Stone" which marks the northern boundary of the Royal Manor of Portland. Every seven years, on Ascension Day the Islanders re-establish their boundaries by ceremoniously beating two senior pupils from the Royal Manor School with the Reeve Staff; which was once used in the collection of the islanders rent.

Below: The Portland Beating the Bounds Ceremony 2009