Beating the Bounds

Each year, the clergy of the City of London's oldest church process around the parish "beating" the boundary markers.

The Beating Party is made up of students from St Dunstan's College, Catford, who return to their roots in the parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East to take part in the proceedings, together with the clergy and the Masters of our associated Livery Companies. The south boundary of the parish is mid-stream of the Thames and the Beating Party board a boat which takes them out onto the river to beat that boundary mark. They then return to shore and the procession moves around the parish, stopping at various points to allow the beaters to mark the boundaries with canes as they go.

They will be leaving the church at 4.15pm to process around the parish, and returning for a service of Festal Evensong at 6pm.

It's something you can watch from the sidelines as they walk around the parish.