FILM star Colin Firth will soon be picking up another honour after he was awarded the Freedom of the City of London.
The actor, who was recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours with a CBE last month, is set to accept the honour in the next six months.
The Freedom of the City of London is believed to date back to 1237.
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'.
All freemen receive the book of 'Rules for the Conduct of Life' , written by the Lord Mayor, 1737-8. Click here to read the Declaration of a Freeman.
The freedom of the City is closely associated with membership of the City livery companies, successors to the ancient guilds. For an insight into the fascinating history and modern role of the Livery, visit the Livery pages.
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