common riding

Definitions

1. 1

   An annual festival in some Scottish towns, in which people conduct a ceremonial…

   An annual festival in some Scottish towns, in which people conduct a ceremonial procession around the boundaries of the town in order to delineate the area and check for encroachment by neighbouring landowners.

   • It was this folk-moot which instituted the common riding and invested it with all the religious ceremonial which primitive religion attached to every event in the life of its votaries.
   • This flag, or at least a copy of it, is said to have been borne at the annual 'common riding' ever since.
   • Because the order of each summer's common ridings is printed on the soul of native Borderers, it can be difficult to find the sequence written down anywhere.
2. 2

   Alternative form of common riding.

   • The great day of the whole year in Selkirk is that of the Common Riding, the Riding of the Marches of the town's property.
   • It is the duty of the band to waken Hawick and to alert its folk, known as Teries, that today is the Common Riding, the loudest, proudest day in the town's calendar.

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