Although this ceremony is performed by many churches throughout the land in a similar fashion, that which occurs at All Hallows-by-the-Tower is one of the most famous. It takes place every 3 years (the next one is in 2002). A procession including Beefeaters and colourful dignitaries forms up and choirboys are given willow sticks.
They process around the parish beating certain buildings and stones with the sticks thereby marking the edge of the parish boundaries. As one boundary is in the middle of the River Thames, a boat sails to the site of the mark where it's beaten by a choirboy held upside down by his ankles!
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