The Knollys Rose Ceremony is an annual event led by the

Company of Watermen and Lightermen The Company of Watermen and Lightermen (CWL) is a historic City guild in the City of London. However, unlike the city's other 109 livery companies, CWL does not have a grant of livery. Its meeting rooms are at Waterman's Hall on St Mary at Hil ...

. The ceremony dates to 1381 and is held each year in June. A single red rose is snipped from the garden in Seething Lane, placed on an altar cushion from

All Hallows-by-the-Tower All Hallows-by-the-Tower, at one time dedicated jointly to All Hallows (All Saints) and the Virgin Mary and sometimes known as All Hallows Barking, is an ancient Anglican church on Byward Street in the City of London, overlooking the Tower o ...

and carried in procession west to the Mansion House where it is presented to the Lord Mayor of London.

History

Sir Robert Knolles Sir Robert Knolles or Knollys ( – 15 August 1407; aged 81-82) was an important English knight of the Hundred Years' War, who, operating with the tacit support of the crown, succeeded in taking the only two major French cities, other th ...

( 1325 – 15 August 1407) was an important English knight of the Hundred Years' War and was a prominent citizen of London. He owned a house on the West side of 'Syendenlane in the Parish of All Hallows Berkying-churche', now called Seething Lane. While he was away, possibly in 1380, his wife, Constance, purchased the threshing ground on the East side of the road opposite their house and turned it into a rose garden. She then built a footbridge over the lane from her house to her garden. The Corporation of London imposed a fine of one red rose payable each year on the

feast of St. John the Baptist The Nativity of John the Baptist (or Birth of John the Baptist, or Nativity of the Forerunner, or colloquially Johnmas or St. John's Day (in German) Johannistag) is a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist. It is observed ...

. The Lord Mayor at the time was Sir William Walworth. The official record says “To all persons who these present letters shall see or hear, the Mayor Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of London Greeting, know ye that we have granted unto Messire Robert Knolles Knight, our dear and well beloved fellow citizen, and to Constance his wife, leave to make a of the height of 14 feet extending from the house of the said Robert and Constance his wife on the west side thereof to another house to them belonging on the east side thereof, beyond the lane of Syvendenlane in the parish of All Hallows Berkyngechirche, near the Tower of London, rendering yearly to the Chamberlain of the Guild Hall of the said City for the time being one red rose at the

.”

The Ceremony

The ceremony continues as one of the City's traditions. The

is based at its Hall at St Mary-at-Hill and organises the ceremony. It starts at All Hallows-by-the-Tower and makes its way to the garden at Seething Lane where the rose is cut. It is then placed on an altar cushion and carried in procession to the Mansion House where it is presented to the Lord Mayor. The escort for the rose consists of the Master of the Company, the Verger of All Hallows-by-the-Tower accompanied by the Vicar, Churchwardens, and Beadle and optionally by a few company members in period dress each holding an old-style oar. The ceremony was revived in 1924 by the Vicar of All Hallows-by-the-Tower and has been arranged by the Company of Watermen and Lighters since 1960. The garden in Seething Lane, which has connections with

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...

, was owned by the Port of London Authority and reopened in 2018 as part of the redevelopment of Trinity Square. Rainwater from the roof of 10 Trinity Square is used for the garden's irrigation. It has a car park beneath. File:Knollys Rose being carried.jpg, Knollys rose File:The Knollys Rose procession (1).jpg, The Knollys Rose procession File:All Hallows-by-the-Tower, Sir Robert Knollys Kneeler.jpg, Sir Robert Knollys (prayer) kneeler for ordinary church use File:All Hallows-by-the-Tower, Sir Robert Knollys stained glass.jpg, Sir Robert Knollys stained glass window

References

{{Coord, 51, 30, 36, N, 0, 4, 45, W, scale:1563_region:GB, display=title History of the City of London Tourist attractions in the City of London Ceremonies in the United Kingdom Annual events in London