One of the oldest
surviving traditional ceremonies still in existence today is
the granting of the Freedom of the City of London. It is
believed that the first Freedom was presented in 1237.
The medieval term 'freeman' meant someone who was not the property
of a feudal lord, but enjoyed privileges such as the right to earn
money and own land. Town dwellers who were protected by the charter
of their town or city were often free - hence the term 'freedom of
the City'.