Once a year, the Freemen of Huntingdon used to meet on the Market Hill,
they then proceeded in procession dragging a horse's skull with them and
perambulated the bounds of the Freemen's lands. At certain points there
are boundry holes dug, these holes they re-dig and hold a boy (one of
the Freemen's sons) up by his heels with his head in the hole, and
strike him (on the part prepared by nature for that purpose), with the
spade. This is done at each hole. A different boy was whipped at every
hole so that several could remember where the holes were dug, especially
the hole at which each individual had suffered, and the memory of the
hole was impressed on mind and body, and the position of the boundary
marks were thus registered.
For many years the annual custom has been discontinued, and takes place
at irregular intervals. It has only occurred once during this century.
The men of Godmanchester sometimes formed bands on the same day and when
they met the men of Huntingdon a free fight and struggle took place
between them to secure the horse's skull.