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by the Crown (accordingly they may also be claimed by prescription). Until the 16th century, the ownership of swans in a given body of water was commonly granted to landowners. The only bodies who still exercise such rights are two
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Based on their parentage, cygnets are determined to belong to the Crown, the Dyers or the
Vintners. Swans belonging to the Crown are left unmarked, except for a lightweight ring linked to the database of the
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of swans and check their health. It occurs annually in the third week of July. Over five days, the Crown's, the
Vintners' and the Dyers' respective 'swan uppers' row up the river in
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Swan upping is the traditional means by which the swans on the Thames are apportioned among the three proprietors. Its main practical purposes today are to conduct a
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97:, who thus share equally with the Crown in the number of swans in the Thames that they own. The tradition of swan upping on the Thames began in the 12th century.
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152:. Those belonging to the Dyers and Vintners receive a similar ring on the other leg. The rings have replaced nicks on the swans'
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169:, as "Seigneur of the Swans", attended the Swan Upping ceremony, the first time a reigning monarch had done so.
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enjoys ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water. Rights over swans may, however, be granted to a
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In 2012, exceptional high river flows for summer prompted a partial cancellation: between
Sunbury and
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140:. The Crown's swan uppers, who wear distinctive red uniforms, catch the swans, weigh and measure the
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The Mute Swan in
England: Its History, and the Ancient Custom of Swan Keeping
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Theirs Were But Human Hearts: A Local
History of Three Thameside Parishes
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462:"Royal tradition of swan upping cancelled this year due to coronavirus"
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The skiffs surround the swans so that they can be more easily caught.
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A Queen's swan upper with a mute swan during 2010 swan upping at
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The first known full cancellation took place in 2020 due to
200:"Swan Upping on the Thames", from Henry Robert Robertson's
307:(video, 2 mins, 13 secs). Reuters. 17 July 2023.
428:"Swan upping: Royal cygnet numbers drop by 40% in a year"
235:, in his blue uniform, during 2011 swan upping, Abingdon.
322:"Windsor Swan Upping ceremony cancelled due to flooding"
305:"'Swan Upping' tradition begins on the River Thames"
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781:Culture associated with the River Thames
25:The Queen's swan uppers (right) and the
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745:Special address by the British monarch
132:The Crown's swans are recorded by the
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16:Annual ceremony on the River Thames
704:Investiture of the prince of Wales
138:Company of Watermen and Lightermen
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791:Ceremonies in the United Kingdom
750:National service of thanksgiving
714:Ceremony of the Keys (Edinburgh)
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392:The Queen's Swan Marker (2018),
365:Wheals, Brian Brenchley (1984).
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371:. H.S. Publishing. p. 65.
144:, and check them for injuries.
771:Monarchy of the United Kingdom
709:Addresses by Privileged Bodies
233:Worshipful Company of Vintners
91:Worshipful Company of Vintners
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150:British Trust for Ornithology
29:' swan uppers (left), on the
735:Changing of The King's Guard
460:Singh, Anita (16 May 2020).
188:social distancing measures.
550:State Opening of Parliament
477:Norman Frederic Ticehurst,
95:Worshipful Company of Dyers
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121:(in recent centuries from
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497:Vintners' Company website
492:The Royal Windsor website
430:. BBC News. 27 July 2023.
324:. BBC News. 13 July 2012.
44:is an annual ceremony in
447:"Queen counts her swans"
254:, oil on canvas, 1915–19
202:Life on the Upper Thames
56:are rounded up, caught,
740:Royal Christmas Message
410:"A Day with the Uppers"
159:The Swan with Two Necks
502:Swan Upping at Cookham
248:Swan Upping at Cookham
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449:. BBC. 21 July 2009 .
293:(1592) 7 Co. Rep. 15b
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60:, and then released.
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730:Vigil of the Princes
656:Trooping the Colour
231:Swan marker of the
134:Marker of the Swans
786:English traditions
414:Hear the Boat Sing
167:Queen Elizabeth II
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395:Royal Swan Upping
291:The Case of Swans
165:On 20 July 2009,
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54:River Thames
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796:July events
699:Swan upping
692:Traditional
271:Royal Swans
101:Description
72:right, the
70:prerogative
42:Swan upping
765:Categories
683:Garter Day
604:Edward VII
582:Coronation
277:References
266:Royal fish
50:mute swans
614:George VI
48:in which
626:Pricking
609:George V
599:Victoria
260:See also
204:, (1875)
186:COVID-19
127:Abingdon
93:and the
35:Abingdon
27:Vintners
723:Related
481:(1957).
350:27 July
179:Windsor
142:cygnets
123:Sunbury
85:of the
64:History
52:on the
46:England
649:Social
375:
119:skiffs
115:census
89:, the
58:ringed
37:, 2006
31:Thames
776:Swans
543:State
250:, by
154:bills
661:list
587:list
570:2024
565:2023
560:2022
555:2021
373:ISBN
352:2023
129:).
125:to
68:By
33:at
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436:^
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343:.
330:^
313:^
530:e
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
