Sheep flock to Wimborne for the exercise of freemen’s ancient rights

For the first time in living memory, sheep are to be driven through part of the Dorset town of Wimborne Minster by the two current freemen and freewoman.

Anthony Oliver, Grant Bocking and Margery Ryan will be exercising their ancient privilege to drive sheep through the town without having to pay a charge for doing so. This goes back in history to when a farmer, taking his sheep to market, had to drive them through the town to get them there. There was a charge for doing this, which would have been levied by a person such as the town crier.

The woolly event was suggested by the current mayor, Cllr Mrs Sue Cook, who will also be taking a flock of sheep through the town in order to raise funds for her charities: Dorset Youth Marching Band, Priest House Museum and Garden and the Wimborne Dementia Friendly Community.

The flocks will be supplied by farmer John Wood of Merley Hall Farm. They will be driven from the Cornmarket through part of the High Street and into Crown Mead and over the new Waitrose Bridge into Willow Walk.

The first flock will be led by the mayor who will be challenged at the bridge by town crier Chris Brown and she will have to pay him the charge.

The second flock led by the two freemen and freewoman who, will be challenged, but will provide the necessary documentary proof of exemption from paying and will be allowed to cross the bridge. The sheep will then be gathered into pens on Willow Walk.

The Dorset Youth Marching Band will be playing on Willow Walk from around 10.15am and the sheep will arrive around 11am. Timings are approximate.

If the weather is very wet beforehand, Waitrose reserve the right to cancel the event, as they do not want the grass ruined.

All are welcome to witness this historic occasion on 29 April starting in the Cornmarket at around 10.30am.