The ritual of Beating the Bounds of the Ancient Borough of Llantrisant originated during the early history of the town when in May or June every seven years the clergy and town officials went in procession around the boundary.

The Charter of 1346 conferred many privileges on the Burgesses of Llantrisant and these were exercised within and bounded by the “liberties of the borough” – in other words, the boundary.

By undertaking the ceremony in May or June none of the harvests would be spoilt by the great procession trooping through the field and the daylight hours long enough for the ceremony.

According to former Clerk Trefor Rees, the earliest recorded existence of Beating the Bounds in Llantrisant took place in 1555, although the ceremony has its origins back in the 9th century.