"Beating the Bounds in Battersea", The Parish Dial, 7 June 1862
The perambulation shown on the contemporary Stanford's 6-inch Library map of 1862. It starts and ends at Battersea Square, near St Mary's, the parish church.
Last modified: 28 October 2026
"Holy Thursday" in this case is not the Thursday before Good Friday (i.e. Maundy Thursday) but "Ascension Day" — the 40th day of Easter (39 days after Easter Sunday). It celebrates Jesus's ascension to heaven after he was resurrected on Easter Day. In 1862 this was May 29.
[Thursday, May 29, 1862/ Ascension Day is observed in the United Kingdom on the 40th day of Easter. It commemorates Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven, according to the New Testament of the Bible. ]
"On Holy Thursday, according to triennial custom, the parochial officers of Battersea, accompanied by a large number of boys taken from the various schools, perambulated the bounds of the parish.
"The muster took place in Battersea-square, about nine o'clock in the morning; and after the boys were formed in procession, with white wands, the parochial officers and others proceeded along the water's edge to Battersea-bridge, and from thence along the river to the Railway Dock, at Nine Elms..."
The perambulation shown on the contemporary Stanford's 6-inch Library map of 1862. It starts and ends at Battersea Square, near St Mary's, the parish church.
I am annotating this account — here's what I have written so far. But do get in touch in the meanwhile if you want to know more, or make a comment.