LandScape

GAME OF
SWANS
For five days every July, the
800-year-old spectacle of
swan upping takes place
on the River Thames
A
JULY AFTERNOON, AND six wooden skiffs make
their way along the River Thames. Each holds a team of
oarsmen dressed in resplendent scarlet, deep blue or
black, together with a marker who has the added
flourish of a swan feather tucked into his cap. Watchful eyes scan
the waters ahead. A family of mute swans glides into view,
prompting a cry to ring out: “All up! All up!”. The rhythmic
splash of the oars comes to a halt.
This scene, known as swan upping, has been played out along
the Thames for more than 800 years. The annual census of the
river’s swans, it is undertaken by the Queen’s Swan Marker and
swan uppers from two of London’s ancient livery companies.
A Royal bird
Upping time was once observed across England. It was an
important event, designed to count the number of swans on rivers
and lakes, determining ownership of the year’s new cygnets.
Mute swans were valuable birds in the Middle Ages and for
some time afterwards. Admired for their grace and beauty, they
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