Actor Damian Lewis acts as a shepherd in London to perpetuate a medieval British tradition

The British actor, seen in particular in the series “Homeland”, guided a flock of sheep on a bridge spanning the Thames on Sunday in London.

Hundreds of sheep crossed the Thames, Sunday September 29, 2024, passing through a bridge located in the heart of London, guided by Hollywood actor Damian Lewis, converted into a shepherd to perpetuate a century-old tradition and “very British“.

Since the Middle Ages, any person with the status of “free man” or “citizen” of the City, the capital’s business district, has been granted the right to cross his flock on a bridge spanning the Thames without paying tolls, to sell his sheep on the markets north of the river.

To revive this tradition and this medieval trade route, nearly a thousand of them crossed the Southwark Bridge with their animals, like every year for fifteen years, at the initiative of the “Honourable Woolworkers’ Guild”. founded in 1180.

Among them, the British actor Damian Lewis, seen in the series Homeland And Band of Brothersguided a handful of sheep during their crossing, wearing for the occasion his grandfather’s wool coat and a shepherd’s staff.

The 53-year-old actor, who himself holds this now symbolic status of “free man”, associated in the past with the merchants and confederations of London, described this day as “eccentric and very British“.

Several members of the actor’s family have held the office of “Lord Mayor” of the City of London, a title making its holder the promoter and spokesperson for businesses in the City’s business district. This event should make it possible to raise funds for the Lord Mayor’s foundation, with a social vocation in the capital, as well as for that of the wool makers, who work to preserve this historic know-how.