| Beating the Bounds is an annual custom which died out in the 1920's. It
was revived to commemorate the town's 700th mayoral anniversary and Mayor
Frances Alexander re-introduced it during her year of office in 1998-99.
As part of her Mayor's Challenge marker stones have been placed at the site
of some of the boundary stones. It has now once again become an annual tradition.
Historical Beating the Bounds was carried out to mark the boundary of the
town, to bless the crops in the fields and to bring people together in a
spirit of friendship. One aspect of the tradition unique to High Wycombe
is the 'bumping box'. A small wooden box is kept in the Mayor's Parlour
and used to bump boys against at various Points on the route. |
