Special Features - Maundy Money

A detachment of Yeomen Guards in ceremonial dress escort the Maundy Money across the Abbots Courtyard in Westminster Abbey (c) English Heritage

Maundy Money
(01/04/07)

Every Easter the Queen presents special Maundy Money to local pensioners in a UK cathedral or abbey, a tradition that dates back over 700 years.

Recognition of service

The presentation takes place on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter Sunday, in recognition of the service elderly people have given to their communities and their churches.

The selection of the pensioners is co-ordinated by whichever diocese, the regional Church of England authority, is hosting Royal Maundy that Easter. This year the Queen will be at Manchester Cathedral.

The number of recipients matches the Sovereign's age. This year the Queen will be 81, so 81 male and 81 female pensioners will receive the Maundy gifts.

History of Royal Maundy

The Royal Maundy is an ancient ceremony which has its origin in the command Jesus gave after washing the feet of his disciples on the day before Good Friday - that we 'should love one another'.

As early as the thirteenth century members of the Royal Family took part in Maundy ceremonies, to distribute money and gifts and symbolically wash the feet of the poor.

Henry IV began the practice of relating the number of recipients of gifts to the sovereign's age and as it became the custom of the sovereign to perform the ceremony, the event became known as the Royal Maundy.

What is Maundy Money?

Maundy coins are specially minted for the occasion and are legal tender. As they are produced in such limited numbers they are much sought after by collectors. A complete set of Maundy money consists of a groat (4p), a threepence (3p), a half-groat (2p) and a penny (1p) - totalling 10p.

Official Maundy Money started in the reign of Charles II with an undated issue of hammered coins in 1662. Before this, ordinary coinage was used for Maundy gifts.

In 1932, King George V agreed to take part personally in the distribution of the Maundy Money. This custom has continued and it is now normal practice for the monarch to distribute the Maundy Money.

Ceremony

The ceremony is very traditional. A Yeomen of the Guard carries a golden tray of Maundy Money in white and red leather purses for the Queen, who then presents the gifts. The white purse contains the Maundy Money, one coin for each year of the monarch's reign. The red purse contains ordinary coins in place of other gifts that used to be given to the poor.

Everyone carries posies of flowers, a traditional protection at the time of the Great Plague, after King Charles 1 distributed his Maundy coins in 1639 during an outbreak of this disease.

Have a look at the British Monarchy website for more information.