The Worshipful Company of Butchers and City Livery Events

So what is the Boar's Head Ceremony? This is one of our proudest annual traditions. Traced back in City history records to 1343, a parcel of land was given to the Butchers of London to provide them with a place to clean and dispose of offal or any ‘beast entrails’. In payment for the land, the Butchers agreed to pay The Lord Mayor with a Boar’s Head each winter and, despite the fact the land and the practice are no more, we still respectfully pay our dues each year.

This special afternoon begins with a winter warming three-course sausage and mash lunch, served in our Great Hall, with tasty Wild Boar sausages kindly provided by The British Premium Sausage company.

A drinks reception will start proceedings at 12.45pm and lunch will be served at 1.15pm. We will form a procession outside the Hall at approximately 3.45pm, to be led by the Beadle and a marching pipe band, through the streets of London to Mansion House.

A warm welcome from the Lord Mayor awaits and it's at the Mansion House reception that you will be able to sample a slice or two of a real boar's head, prepared by the Defence Food Services Wing, after it has been presented to the Lord Mayor by The Master.

If you haven't taken part in this historically important occasion before, now's the time to experience an event that is truly unique to our Livery.

Our sincere thanks are given to Liveryman Peter Sturge MBE and The Smithfield Market Tenants' Association who have sponsored the Boar's Head Ceremony 2022. Without their generous support, this event would not have been able to take place.