By using this website you agree that we use cookies. You can find out more in the privacy policy.

The National Times - Hollywood's Damian Lewis herds sheep across bridge in London

Hollywood's Damian Lewis herds sheep across bridge in London

NATURE 29.09.2024
Hollywood's Damian Lewis herds sheep across bridge in London
Hollywood's Damian Lewis herds sheep across bridge in London / Photo: © AFP

Hollywood star Damian Lewis on Sunday drove sheep across a bridge crossing London's River Thames in a celebration of a medieval tradition.

Change text size:

The Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning British actor wore his grandfather's wool coat and wielded a crook to move the sheep across Southwark Bridge.

The event honours the medieval tradition of anyone awarded "freeman of the City of London" status being allowed to drive their sheep toll-free across the bridge, a historic trading route.

An event celebrating the tradition has taken place annually since 2013.

Lewis, 53, described the event as "eccentric", adding: "I just played shepherd, shepherd Lewis, and it was very fun."

Lewis, himself a freeman, has strong links to the City of London -- the capital's financial district -- having studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Several of his ancestors as well as his brother also served as Lord Mayors of London, who are elected annually and run the governing body of the area.

The sheep-driving event is part of a fundraiser for the wool trade's Woolmen Charity and the Lord Mayor's Appeal which aims to have an impact on "London's most pressing societal issues".

L.A.Adams--TNT

Featured

As baboons become bolder, Cape Town battles for solutions

On a sunny afternoon in Cape Town’s seaside village of Simon’s Town, three young chacma baboons cause a commotion, clambering on roofs, jumping between buildings and swinging on the gutters.

'Existential challenge': plastic pollution treaty talks begin

A final round of talks on a treaty to end plastic pollution opened on Monday, with the diplomat chairing the difficult negotiations urging nations to "meet an existential challenge."

Climate finance's 'new era' shows new political realities

Rich countries' promise of $300 billion a year in climate finance brought fury at talks in Baku from poor nations that found it too paltry, but it also shows a shift in global political realities.

Concern as climate talks stalls on fossil fuels pledge

The failure of UN climate negotiations to double down on a global pledge to move away from planet-heating fossil fuels on Sunday was decried by experts as a "worrying" setback to global progress on curbing warming.

Change text size: